Southeast Salem
by FindOutBehindYou
Summary: The adventures of the crazy attendants of the Southeast Salem School of Magic in the USA.
1. The Station Below

Chapter One: Trip to the Salem Healer's Institute and The Station Below

Madison and Seth walked out of the females Healer's office, content in the fact that they had caused her enough trouble. After they had been healed they had cast enchantments behind the Healer's back. As soon as they had walked out of the door pandemonium erupted from the office. They had cast several enchantments behind the Healer's back while she was looking at the other. The enchantments were delayed. It had taken the pair a long time to learn how to do that.

The pair burst into a sprint as they heard the angry Healer coming towards them. As they did this the started to pull their invisibility cloaks out of their oversized pockets. Seth had stolen his from his older brother, and Madison's father had given him his.

They ran around the corner, making very little noise, and pulled the cloaks on. They suppressed snickers as the Healer stormed angrily past. As soon as she was out of sight they went back around the corner, took off the cloaks, and burst out laughing.

"Well how about that!" Madison said between laughs. Seth finished laughing before Madison did and peered down the hall. It was lit by floating magical lamps, and by the natural light. The Salem Healer's institute took up four floors of a tall building in Atlanta. No Muggles knew these floors even existed.

Seth slapped Madison on the top of his head and said, "She's coming back."

Madison stopped laughing and straightened. Seth started running but Madison called him back. "We can hide in her office." Seth nodded.

Madison's wand shot out from his sleeve, where he normally kept it, and he waved it, saying, "Alohamora!" Seth opened the door and they both shot in, locking the door behind them.

Madison hadn't know if the door had been locked or not, but by experience had learned not to take chances like that. Seth and he were troublemakers, but not of the stereotypical sort.

Both were extremely intelligent and did well in school. They almost never studied, and what they did was what they enjoyed. Madison and Seth could easily refrain from trouble making. As long as it suited them.

They started walking down to the lower level of the institute where their caretaker was waiting for them. "How much trouble do you think we'll get in?" Madison asked.

Seth shrugged. "It shouldn't be too much." Madison nodded. "The pain was punishment enough."

Seth wholeheartedly agreed. When they had decided to sneak into the Atalanta Zoo of Creatures Magical they hadn't expected to come up next to the manticore. Fortunately the zookeeper was able to come rescue them before any permanent damage was done. Madison and Seth were fully sure that they could have taken the manticore on if they hadn't been so worried about keeping the creature alive so that they wouldn't get fined.

"I hope we're out of here before that Healer tells the administration about us." Madison said. Seth gave a little chuckle and nodded. "Why did we do that to her? She was pretty nice." Madison nodded. Their Healer, Alice Glick, had taken good care of them.

Madison shrugged. "Just one of those divine influences." Seth gave a short burst of laughter. "I doubt it, Madison." He said. Madison smiled bemusedly. Seth was thinking that maybe they needed to cut down on the things like that they did. The other side of his brain said, 'Naw, that wouldn't be fun.'

They arrived at the strangely decorated lobby of the wizarding hospital. There were plastic wands with bandages popping out of them on the wall, and other than that there was nothing of interest.

Seth and Madison did not expect what else they saw. Instead of their caretaker, Marcel Jaxon, they found two members of Madison's family; Hannah Brooks and Valerie. Valerie was a researcher who found plots of land for new wizarding buildings to be built on. Hannah was about to go into Southeast Salem, the Wizarding School for young wizards in Southeast U.S.A.

Seth and Madison were about to be in their third year at Southeast Salem, and were looking forward to being back. They hated being away from the school and not using magic. Seth once termed it as being 'Like loosing your legs'.

"Where's daddy?" Madison asked as soon as he and Seth had gotten close enough to talk to his mother over the bustling office. "He's at work." Valerie responded. "You all finally got your supply list, so I thought we would just come down here and get them."

Madison and Seth smiled. This meant that they would get to go to Magica Hall, the underground market where one could find just about anything magical. It was the closest they would get to actually being in Southeast Salem for another month. "When are we going?" Seth asked. Hannah was the one who responded, "Whenever you are ready to leave."

That reminded the two that they had to get out of the building before Alice Glick saw them. They said, at the exact same time, "We're ready." Valerie gave them a doubting glance. "You didn't get into trouble, did you?" "How could you?" Madison asked in a falsely wounded tone. "You know we never get in trouble!" Seth finished for his friend.

Valerie smiled and shook her head. She could almost smell that they had done something, but she knew that they knew where to draw the line. And she was in a hurry and didn't want to get detained. "Alright. Let's go." She reached into her black dragon-scale purse and brought out a pinch of floo powder for each of them.

Madison flourished his hands and bowed low in a mocking manner. "Seth, you go first." Seth bowed back at him and threw his powder into the large fireplace in the lobby. He stepped into the green, flowing flames and said, "The Station Below," And was gone. The three soon followed.

Seth was sitting on a bench with his legs crossed when they were all through. Madison said, "Seth come on." Seth sighed. "It was so pleasant sitting here." Madison and Seth's conversations rarely made sense to the normal person, but each got some measure of amusement from it.

Hannah peered around. This was the first time she had been in The Station Below. It was an abandoned subway station that was dimly lit. There were several benches, but other than that the station was featureless.

The station was not, of course, featureless. If one got down onto the tracks and walked left he would come out in Magica Hall. Walking right would get one to Southeast Salem.

Hannah had learned all about Southeast Salem through reading. Until a student was accepted into the school, they weren't allowed to read about how to use any magic, so Hannah read the next best thing. Madison often said that Hannah would be a master at History of Magic.

The group got down off of the station to stand on the tracks of the abandoned subway. They walked left, and came to Magica Hall. It wasn't very well lit, and the light that was there was all torchlight that flickered on and off. It was very disconcerting to a person who hadn't been there before.

Madison and Seth quickly drifted into the crowded Hall, and Valerie and Hannah went off searching for the youngest Brooks' school supplies.

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"Where are we going?" Hannah asked. Valerie was leading her down a few streets. "We're going to get you a wand," Valerie said, drawing her own as they passed the entrance to a shady looking store. As they got past it she put her wand back again.

Hannah remembered all Madison and Seth had told her about wands. There were many different varieties, but there was only one that would fit you. While you could pick up any wand and cast a spell with it, your own wand would perform better.

Madison's wand was an extraordinary wand, as was Seth's. Madison's was thirteen inches long, made of a black ash branch, and had bat's bone as a core. Seth's was a bit shorter at eleven and a half, and had a demon's hair in his. Hannah wondered which wand she would get.

They finally arrived at the store. It was crowded with shelves full of all kinds of boxes. Hannah went in, closely followed by Valerie. When Hannah paused to look around Valerie gave her a little push. "Go on and choose one, I'll deal with the store keeper."

Hannah nodded and went to peruse the isles. She walked by a few, then opened one. The box said that the wand was ten inches long, with the core of a unicorn's tail hair. Hannah opened it and waved it around. Several boxes shot off of the shelves, but one thing really peculiar happened.

One of the boxes had came open, and that wand flew to her hand, replacing the one she had been holding. She smiled, thinking that this wand was the one for her. She waved it, and a warm tingly feeling shot up her spine. This was the wand for her.

She walked to the front, where Valerie and the storekeeper were waiting for her. The storekeeper was a tall dark skinned bald man. He smiled at Hannah. "I can remember when your brother and his friend came here. It took me a long time to clean up the mess." Hannah gave a shy chuckle and followed her mom out of the store.

"Did you already pay for it?" Hannah asked. Valerie nodded, "Now we get the rest of your supplies."

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Madison and Seth had quickly gathered their school supplies and had retreated to their favorite bookshop. Madison was reclined on a couch reading A Guide To Hexes by Ophelia Whitefield, and Seth was perusing the shelves of the tiny store.

This was their favorite bookstore because of its seclusion. It was near the back of Magica Hall, and only an informed few knew that it was as good as it was. The front was dirty, and gave the impression that the store would be a run-down one, however, it was actually very cozy.

The bookshelves were embedded into the walls, and it somewhat seemed like the books were in the walls of the underground place.

In choosing books Madison and Seth differed. Madison could usually find a book quickly, and just sat down and read it. Seth, on the other hand, preferred to spend more time looking for a book. That way he knew he would find a good one.

"Here's a neat one," Madison said. "What is it?" Seth asked, still perusing the shelves. "It turns a small bit of food into a spider." Seth smiled bemusedly, wondering how much trouble Madison would get into for that one. A lot, if he knew his friend. And he did.

Madison looked up from his book for a moment. "Found one yet?" He asked. "No," Seth answered, "I'm looking for a book on the Dark Arts." Madison's gaze went back down to his book. "In a dark mood today?" Seth shrugged.

One of the things the two liked about that particular bookstore was that one could find any book you wanted in there. In some places, they had heard, books about the Dark Arts were outlawed. Especially in England, where some dark lord had recently come back from the dead, or something.

Seth was smashed into the bookshelves from behind, and arms wrapped around him. Madison smirked, not even having to look up to see whom it was. As the person slammed into him and gave him a fierce hug he supposed he should have so that he would have been better prepared.

Seth shook his head to clear it from the effects of being slammed into the walls of the store and turned around to see Chanteau back off of Madison. Chanteau was the pair's best friend, other than themselves. She was a bit taller than both of them, and that was saying something, as the pair was some of the tallest students in their grade.

Chanteau had dark blond hair, and was not French, as most people who first heard her name expected. She was an adopted child of two French mages, and they had named her. Why they had come to the US Madison and Seth did not know.

She was extremely attractive, and many were jealous of Madison and Seth. Most of the school thought the Chanteau was Madison or Seth's girlfriend, but she was neither. Why this was no one knew, including Madison and Seth. Madison because he had never bothered to ask and Seth because he had decided not to press the matter when he did ask and had not gotten a clear response.

"Nice to see you," Seth said, rubbing his forehead. Madison nodded and set A Guide To Hexes down. "And a bit painful." He said, looking at Seth rubbing his forehead. "You had a soft couch to act as a cushion." Seth accused. Madison nodded, looking rather pleased with himself.

"I see you haven't stopped bickering over the summer." Chanteau said accusingly. Madison and Seth looked at each other, then back at their friend. "Nope!" They both replied in unison. Chanteau sighed. While she often went with the pair on their trouble-making escapades, she didn't like having to decipher their strange form of talking.

"What'd you do over the summer?" Madison asked, returning to his book. Chanteau walked around the other side of the couch, and jumped over the back to land on top of him. Madison acted as if he was all surprised at first (He wasn't) but after a moment he just sat still, Chanteau's back across his legs, and kept reading.

Seth looked on, amused. He (and Madison) pretty much knew what Chateau would do next. And they found that they were right when Chateau slapped the book out of Madison's hand. He slowly turned to look at her. She kept lying with her back across his legs, amused at the whole situation.

He looked down at her, his smile strangely gone from his face. Madison was an excellent actor. "I was reading." Chanteau smiled and responded. "I know." Madison's eyes narrowed as if in accusation of his friend's motives. "Then why did you do that?"

"To get you to pay your full attention to me." Madison frowned. "That's rather selfish of you." Chateau burst out laughing and got off of Madison to go sit down in a more, for Madison, convenient location.

Madison cleared his throat and stared pointedly at Chanteau. She stared right on back, and Seth went back to his perusal of the shelves. After a few moments of this silence, in which Seth had picked a book and sat down, Madison said, "Well?" "Well what?" Responded Chanteau.

"I asked you a question, if memory serves." He told her. Chanteau's eyes rolled back as if trying hard to remember (She actually had an excellent memory) and finally came up with the answer. "Your memory doesn't serve." Madison looked flabbergasted. "I'll ask the question again, then."

Madison paused here, waiting for Chanteau to admit that she was wrong (still playing their little game) Seth said helpfully, "The question was about Chanteau's summer." Madison nodded at Seth, then turned his head back to Chanteau. "How was your summer?"

Again there was silence, though this time nobody was playing. Chanteau bit her lip and looked as if she was remembering something horrible. Madison and Seth immediately picked this up, and dropped their façade, and became serious, well, as serious as they got.

Suddenly Chanteau burst out crying and launched herself at Seth. Seth quickly dropped his book to receive the incoming human projectile. He hugged her close as she cried. Madison stared with a blank-face at the scene. After a while Chanteau stopped her crying, which was replaced by sobbing as she told her tale…


	2. A Close Call

Chapter Two: A Close Call

Chanteau hummed as she walked down the bright street of Dodds Avenue to her house. Today had been a good day.

She had gotten to talk with her two best friends from Salem, meet with another good friend, and also ran into several people from France she had known well. Yes, she thought, today had been a good day.

Still, she had her hand around her wand as she walked past a dark alley in the recesses of Dodds Avenue, one that gave off emanations of seemingly evil energy. One time when Seth had come over to visit and they had walked past here, he had blasted the street with several hexes on reflex. She had a good reason, she supposed, to be wary of the place.

Mostly because of Seth's reaction. Seth was one of the best students in Salem at Defense Against the Dark Arts, and exhibited several strange and rare anti-dark innate magical qualities. Only a few of the higher-grade students were as gifted in Defense Against the Dark Arts as he. Even Professor Caelyn Coko, the Headmaster of Southeast Salem, had asked Seth his opinion on several Dark Art issues.

There was that Caelyn was about as crazy as Seth and Madison, which wasn't very reassuring to anyone who didn't know either of the three very well. Those who did knew that Salem was in good hands.

Chanteau remembered when someone in their house had mentioned that there was a very fine line between brilliance and insanity. She had groaned at this.

Not because she was insulted or anything similar, in fact, everyone in the room had taken this as a complement. Everyone in the house of Gente was crazy to some degree or the other, but none more so than Seth and Madison. Chanteau had groaned because she knew of the impeding arguments about the meaning of that phrase.

And she had been right. Seth and Madison talked about nothing else for the next few days, and got almost no sleep. They had, however, come to an agreement on Friday night, and spent the next twenty-four odd hours sleeping. Chanteau was kind of glad at this; she had grown quite tired of listening to the two debate the subject.

This, however, almost caused them to miss quidditch practice. The two had been accepted on the team in the middle of the year as beaters when the previous two had both transferred to a foreign school. Chanteau had snuck up to the boy's dormitory and woken them up at the last moment, in a rather embarrassing manner.

Though the pair usually put on pajamas after their showers, they were so tired from debating that they had forgotten, or just decided not to, put anything on over their boxers. Chanteau blushed when she remembered the first thought that had come to her mind.

Both of them were well-muscled, more so than she would have thought for people who rarely engaged in physical activity, and Madison more so than Seth. Madison had under his bed a forty-five pound lifting weight that he lifted three sets of thirty every night. He said it came in handy over the summer when he wasn't allowed to use magic to lift things.

Thankfully the boy's dorm was empty but for the three of them, or there would have been quite a commotion. Madison and Seth both woke up at the same time and had both used the full body bind spell on each other, completely on accident. Chanteau, blushing the whole time, had whispered the counter jinx and had fled from the room. There had been no mention of that incident since then.

Thankfully.

Chanteau had been brought out of her reminiscing when she heard something down the dark alley, and then something like a cry of help. Her heart, always being more generous than Madison's or Seth's, told her to go to the aid of the person she had heard. Her curious side, partly gained from Madison and Seth, told her to go as well. These two combined were much more powerful than her cautious side, which had dwindled greatly due to Madison and Seth.

She drew out her wand and moved silently, like Madison and Seth had taught her, down the dark alley. She was upset to find that the alley was infested with rats, but was not about to turn back with the cries for help growing louder.

Chanteau rounded a corner in the dark alley and came to the source of the cries for help. It was a small child, and by the strange bend in the child's leg was probably unable to walk. Chanteau walked over to the boy and said, "Everything's going to be okay."

The response was not something she was expecting. In a darkly evil voice the child responded, "Not for you." The boy's form twisted and shaped into the form of a Demost, a very dangerous and evil magical creature, one that could shapeshift.

Had she not had quick reflexes she would have been dead. But she did, and yelled out: "Petrificus Totalus!" while the creature was in mid jump. She jumped backwards as the creature landed on the ground. As it started to move again she started to run.

After a few seconds she heard the Demost coming in fast pursuit. She pointed her wand over her back and yelled, "Petrificus Totalus!" again, but missed this time. When she had cast the spell her attention on her path had wavered, and she tripped over something. "Damn it!" She whispered.

Before she had met Madison and Seth she had been a nice girl, and had never cussed. That changed after being around the two for a while. Of course, nobody would have cared of her cussing in her current situation.

Chanteau whirled around to her stomach and kicked out, catching the scaly creature in the stomach. In response is clawed a gash into her leg, causing her to withdraw it, and pounced again. She brought her wand up, but the Demost moved faster and pinned her wand arm down, slashing into her wrist at the same time.

She struggled as the creature pinned her down with four of its arms, but was not match for the Demost. After it had pinned her down, she could do nothing but yell for help. The fifth arm of the creature came up and stabbed into her cheek and tongue, silencing her.

Then it raised the fifth claw and prepared to stab through Chanteau's neck. She caught it by surprise, and brought her head forward to slam it into the creature's scaly face. She immediately brought up her wand, not remembering that she required her tongue fully functional to cast spells. She was oblivious to the fact that blood was flowing out of her lips and down her throat.

This didn't matter, however, as someone yelled, "AVADA KEDAVRA!" and a bright flash of green light lit up the alley. A man with shimmering black robes came out of the shadows and pulled the Demost off of Chanteau. He looked with undisguised pity down at the young girl and waved his wand. Several of Chanteau's wounds disappeared, including her tongue.

The man helped her to her feet, quickly noting her wand. Chanteau supposed that the man would be attractive had he been younger.

She wanted to cry. For a moment she had thought she was going to die, and that always unnerves the person. Her even more so, at her young age.

The man sensed this, and asked, "Would you like to forget this?" Chanteau nodded immediately. Of course she would, she wouldn't want to ever have to face something like that ever again, and she didn't want to have to deal with such a horrible memory.

"Ready?" The man asked. Chanteau nodded, on the brink of tears. "Obliviate," The man said, and Chanteau forgot everything after going into the dark alley to search for a person crying for help.

A man was suddenly standing beside her, though. And she seemed to be wounded. Her face screwed up, like it always did when she was confused. The man standing next to her said, "You tripped and almost fell on me. Be more careful next time."

Chanteau looked a little taken aback, but recovered quickly and nodded. "I would stay away from here in the future," The man said, his shimmering black robes flowing around him as he left the area. "What's your name?" She called to his back. "Cada," He answered.

By now Chanteau had ceased her sobbing and was talking with only the merest hint that this had affected her at all. Madison however, looked a bit confused at the story.

"How can you remember this if Cada erased your memory?" He asked. She looked at him solemnly from her place beside Seth, waiting for him to come to the logical conclusion. "A dementor." Seth supplied after a few moments of silence. Madison nodded, and said, "I see…"

"Is there anything you want us to do?" Seth asked. Chanteau shook her head and wiped the last of her tears from her eyes. "I just needed to tell someone." Madison and Seth both nodded, understanding completely.

"When and how did you come across this dementor?" Madison asked. Chanteau chuckled, an action the other two were relieved to see, and said, "That is a story for another time." Madison and Seth smiled, remembering the times she had told them that. To date, she had never kept her word on it.

Chanteau stood, and the two followed her lead. "Where to?" Seth asked. Chanteau shrugged. "Let's go see if we can find anyone from school," Chanteau supplied. The pair nodded. Seth replaced his book, but Madison said, "I'm buying this one."


	3. Preparations To Leave

Chapter Three: Preparations to Leave

"Do you think we'll see Anna anywhere?" Hannah asked of her mother. They had bought all of Hannah's school supplies, and were just walking around Magica Hall. Valerie shrugged.

Anna King was Hannah's favorite friend, and also a wizard going to her first year at Southeast Salem. Hannah hadn't talked to Anna in a long time, but thought there was a good chance she might see her in the hall.

Valerie stopped, and turned to face Hannah. "We have some extra money that we're going to spend on you. What do you think you would want?" Hannah thought this over a moment.

She had expected something like this. Madison had gotten an invisibility cloak on his first year, but that had been their father's. "An invisibility cloak would be too expensive, wouldn't it?" Hannah asked.

Valerie nodded. "That, and the fact that you can't legally buy them." Hannah looked a bit confused. "Then how did daddy get his?" She asked. Valerie shrugged. "I tried to get him to tell me, but he would never say." Hannah asked, "What about Seth's." Valerie shrugged again. "I have no idea on that one."

Hannah thought for a few moments, then asked, "Could we get me a broom, like Madison has?" Valerie smiled. "Sure."

Madison, being on the Quidditch team, had needed a broom in the middle of his second year. He had bought it himself, with his half of the winnings from the yearly dual duel tournament. Seth had bought his with those winnings, and money he already had. Madison had a Ghost Bat, an almost insubstantial broom, and Seth had a Silver Arrow, the fastest broom on the market.

They headed over to the broom store. Once they were outside, Valerie handed Hannah a bag full of Galleons, and said, "There's fifty in there. I'm going to go check on something. After you buy one, stay right out here." Hannah nodded, and eagerly headed into the broom shop.

She looked around at all of the brooms. The better ones were near the back, so she headed that way first. Several brooms caught her eye.

One was a perfect copy of Madison's broom, and another was the Silver Arrow, the same broom Seth had. In the very back there was a broom that seemed to be glowing red. She shook her head, knowing that that broom would be way out of her price range.

She looked for a while, and then came to the one she knew she would get. It was completely black, and the bristle part of the broom was longer than most. She looked at the price tag and was happy. It read 'Forty-Five Galleons'. She took the broom up to the counter and bought it.

Valerie was waiting just outside the store for Hannah, and she asked, "Where to now?" Valerie sighed, and it was barely audible over the bustle of Magica Hall. "To find your crazy brother."

Suddenly a good bit of the bustle of the market quieted down and a big portion of the street was cleared. Five people stood in the circle, wands ready. All looked to be young, and were dressed in muggle clothing. A big blast of hexes and jinxes went off from their wands.

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The moment Madison and Seth stepped out of the store they heard an, "AHHH!" from above them, and were then landed on by a strange person. They both quickly got out from under the person and each let off their favorite jinx, or in Seth's case, hex.

"What'd you do that for?" Chanteau asked of her two companions. "She landed on us!" Seth said, outraged. "Yeah!" Madison added, just for effect. "It was probably an accident." Chanteau told them. They both shrugged. Chanteau sighed, shook her head, and bent down to help the girl.

Upon contact with the girl's skin she quickly retracted her hand. "You use the Scalding Water jinx, didn't you?" Chanteau asked Madison. He nodded, looking rather pleased that he had been able to pull it off. "Undo it." Chanteau commanded. "Do I have to?" Madison pleaded. "Yes," Chanteau said. Madison reluctantly said the counter jinx.

"Undo yours as well," Chanteau told Seth. Seth shook his head, "I used the Frying Pan hex, she's knocked out cold." Chanteau shook her head in exasperation, and shook the girl awake.

Upon awakening the girl yelled and leveled her wand at Seth. Chanteau quickly grabbed the wand away. The girl shook her head, as if clearing it of something. "Can I have my wand back?" She asked. Chanteau nodded, and handed it back.

The girl stood and said, "I'm Marit Brocker." Madison and Seth bowed. "We're Madison and Seth, and this is our accomplice, Chanteau." They told her. "I'm more of their supervisor," Chanteau said with a smirk. Madison and Seth shrugged.

Marit looked around, and said, "Oh crap…" And ran away.

"That was different." Chanteau said. Madison turned to face her, and nodded several times. Seth, however, had his eyes on someone in the crowd. "Look who it is," He told Madison. Madison did, and smirked when he saw the people Seth had seen. This would be fun.

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Hannah observed the five combatants now that their first spells had gone off. There were two teams, one with three and one with two. One of the people on the team of two was jumping around and screaming, and the other's skin had erupted into boils. One of the people was down on the three-person team, this one a female. One of three person team was dancing a rather peculiar jig, and the other's hair was growing at an extremely fast rate, already down to his knees.

Of the five combatants, only three could still cast spells. The one who was hopping around in pain was soaking wet, and had dropped his wand, and the female was knocked out cold.

The one who was dancing a jig leveled his wand at the boil covered one, and yelled, "Petrificus Totalus!" The boy was able to fall to the ground to avoid the spell, and it soared over his head to hit someone in the crowd. He wasn't able, however, to dodge the spell the hair covered boy sent his way, the same spell the jigging boy had used.

At this time what accounted to a wizarding policeman had come to the scene. "Stop this at once, and come with me!" He yelled. The Tarantellegra spell had worn off, and the formerly jigging boy whispered the counterjinx to the hair-growth spell. Those two hastily picked up their fallen friend and fast went into the crowd.

"Come back here!" The policeman yelled. The two boys were not listening, and fast retreated into a small store selling toys for young wizards. The policeman's assistant had just arrived on the scene, and went into the store looking for them.

Hannah turned to Valerie. "Madison and Seth sure will be pleased when they hear what happened to Zannie and Chris." Valerie gave a chuckle at that. "They sure will."

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A few minutes later they found Madison and Seth, along with one of their female friends from school. "Ya'll ready to go?" Valerie asked. Madison and Seth turned to Chanteau.

"Alas," Said Madison, "We must go." Seth continued. "Yes, we're so sorry." Madison sighed, and put a look of mock sadness on his face. "You'll just have to do with out the benefit of our company." "I'm not sure it's much of a benefit," Chanteau added wryly.

Madison stuck his tongue out at her, and turned to his mom. "Yes, we're ready." Seth received a fierce hug from Chanteau, and Madison was fiercely spun around to receive one as well. Then Chanteau left, and Madison, along with Seth and Hannah, followed Valerie out of Magica Hall and back to the fireplace in the Station Below.

"You won't believe what happened." Hannah told them. Madison and Seth exchanged a glance. "We might," They told her. "Zannie Carabo and Chris Chow got into a fight with three people, and were caught by the police." Madison and Seth looked overjoyed. It was a good thing that they were such good actors.

"What happened to the people who fought them?" Seth asked. Madison had gone into a dance of joy at hearing that Chris and Zannie, his rivals from their first year at Salem had been beaten, then caught by the police. Of course, it was all just an act.

"They escaped," Hannah told him.

Seth held back his wry smile. He and Madison had carried Chanteau into the store, then draped their invisibility cloaks over the three of them and had waited for the policeman's assistant to leave.

Madison had stopped dancing. "I see you've got a broom," He said to his sister. Hannah was carrying a broom-sized box, and Madison knew Hannah had wanted one after coming to last years Quidditch tournament, which house Gente had been in, but had only finished second.

"What model is it?" Seth asked. "Yes," Madison added, "I was going to ask the same." Hannah chuckled at the two's antics. "A Raven 2K." She answered. Madison nodded. "Chanteau has the same kind."

Hannah asked, "Is she on a Quidditch team?" Seth shook his head. She's going to try out for a Chaser spot this year, though."

By now they had come to the fireplace. They allowed a group of people to come out, then went through it. Madison was first. He through down the floo powder and shouted, "THE HOUSE!" And disappeared. Valerie shook her head. You were supposed to give the exact address, but that never stopped Madison from arriving where he wanted.


	4. Southeast Salem School of Magic

Chapter Four: Southeast Salem School of Magic

"Do you have all of your things?" Valerie asked her children, and Seth. They all nodded. "NO WAIT!" Madison shouted. "I FORGOT MY WAND!" Valerie shook her head. "Madison, you'll just have to be late." Madison laughed. "I was just joking." Valerie shook her head in consternation. She wished she could tell the difference between his jokes and the truth.

"One minute until leaving!" Someone shouted. "Go in," Valerie said. The three stepped into the large concrete chamber. "Goodbye!" She called. "Goodbye," Hannah and Madison said back.

It was a few weeks after they had gone to Magica Hall, and time for Salem to begin.

Hannah looked around at the chamber. It was a strange thing, she decided. As they had come Madison had explained the properties of the chamber to her. It was very powerfully magical, and was the only known way of getting in to the school of Southeast Salem.

A group of up to ten people could stand in the chamber, and an hour later be transported right outside the entrance of the underground school. Twice a year, however, the magic of the room increased, and could take as many people as could fit in or out, but took five hours.

Once the minute was up bars flew down from above the entrance, and cut off any traffic into or out of the chamber. Suddenly, the room was furnished with everything to meet the four hundred and fifty odd students' needs.

There were tables, chairs, couches, TVs, and even a snack and drink bar. Madison and Seth immediately went to this, and left Hannah to her own devices. She rolled her cart full of her possessions over to where everyone else seemed to putting theirs, and went to find Anna.

She did, a few minutes later, sitting alone at a table with a coke. Hannah and Anna both knew no one in their year other than themselves. "Soooo…" Anna began, "What have you been up to." Hannah snorted. "I only just got here." Anna nodded. "I know."

"So what do you know about Salem?" Anna asked. "Probably too much," Hannah told her, referring to the fact that she had read the history of the school three times. "Well then tell me what you know about what happens tonight." She said. It would be around seven before they got to the school.

"Well," Hannah began, "We'll get placed into different house sort of things…" She trailed off when she realized that she had never bothered to ask Madison how the houses were picked for a person. "I'll be right back," She told Anna.

It was easy to find Madison and Seth. They were sitting in a booth, surrounded by people from their year, but mostly from house Gente. Madison and Seth were playing wizards chess, and the game was a close one. Hannah approached the table timidly.

Madison spotted his sister first. "Hello!" He shouted. Most everyone from that table turned to look at her, causing her to blush. "This is my sister, Theodore!" He proclaimed. A pretty blond girl sitting at his side corrected, "It's Hannah, Madison." Madison nodded vigorously. "I lied." He said. "Her name is Hannah.

The reactions were varied. The more sane people in the group chuckled. Some nodded with a happy and dumb look on their faces. Some said, "Hello Theodore!" The girl sitting at Madison side shook her head, while Seth looked about confusedly. Eventually his eyes once again found the chessboard.

"Need something, Nanners? Madison asked, using his nickname for his sister. She nodded. "How do they sort you into houses?" She asked. At this there was an explosion of answers from the table.

She could understand none of them. Eventually the girl by Madison's side yelled, "SHUT UP!" Everyone at the table, along with some in the immediate vicinity, did so. It seemed this was the only person everyone would listen to.

Then the girl turned to Hannah. "You take a test, and they sort you based on that." Hannah nodded and whispered a thanks before going off.

"That was not very nice!" Chanteau admonished the group, but more so Madison. A flurry of apologies came, but none from Madison, who was concentrated on the game.

"Did you hear me?" Chanteau demanded. "Yeah, I love your grandmother too," Madison said. Chanteau sighed and shook her head. There was only so much she could do.

-----------

"Is that them?" Emily asked of her friend, Marit Brocker. "Yeah," another friend said, this one nicknamed Aibyoukai, "Cause if it is we gotta hurt em," she finished, drawing her wand as she did so.

"Why?" Marit asked. "Loyalty to our house, for one thing," Emily said, "And for cursing you." Aibyoukai finished. Marit chuckled at the last thing. She sort of had merited the curses when she had fallen on the two.

"How is that showing loyalty to our house?" Marit asked. "Didn't you hear about the fighting incident?" Emily asked. Marit shook her head. "Those two, along with that girl, cursed, jinxed, and hexed two of the people from our house."

"Why didn't you tell the policemen?" Marit asked. Emily answered, "No evidence, for one thing," Aibyoukai finished for her. "And to elicit personal vengeance." "Ahhh…" Marit said, "I see. Well, you first," She said gesturing at Emily.

She nodded. "Gladly," She said, as she rolled up the sleeves of her muggle shirt. She drew her wand and leveled it in Madison and Seth's general direction, and said, "Tarantellegra."

Seth seemed to notice the spell coming. To him it had slowed down to half speed, and everything else had as well. This only happened every so often, and he was glad when it did. The only strange thing was that he moved as slow as everything else. But this gave him more than enough time to draw his wand, point it at the incoming jet of the curse, and say, "Protego!"

After he did so, everything went back to its normal rate. The shielding charm Seth had cast sent the Tarantellegra spell spinning into the ceiling. Everyone sitting at their table stood, wands raised, crazy expressions gone.

There was an old saying at Salem that there was nothing more dangerous than a threatened Gente member. These were Marit's last thoughts as a barrage of hexes, jinxes, and curses hit her and her two friends.

-----------

The only one to remained seated during this was Chanteau. "That was a bit overdoing it, don't you think?" The girl sitting on Madison's other side, a third year named Angelique, said, "I don't think so. They tried to curse our Sethy!"

There were a few chuckles at Angelique's mangling of Seth's nickname. The full nickname was Sethiroth; a name similar to that of Sephiroth, from a muggle videogame Madison and Seth loved to play.

Almost every one in the Gente house had a nickname everyone else called them. Madison's was Madi, Chanteau's was Chant, and Angelique's was Lique. Then there were the variations of these names that others used for others. Madison only called two people by names other than their nicknames. He called Chanteau just Tway, and Angelique he called Angel. Seth, however, adhered to everyone's 'true nickname' as he and Madison had termed it. Chanteau used mostly the nicknames, but used their true names when she was serious.

It was no secret that Angelique harbored amorous designs on Madison, who she regularly referred to as Her Madi, or My Madi when she was addressing him. The sort of annoyed Chanteau, but she didn't act on this. She favored Seth over Madison anyway, Seth being the more serious of the two.

"I've won!" Madison shouted. "No you haven't," Seth told him, and moved out of check. "Poo,"

-----------

Several hours later the room had made its complete transfer to the underground school of Southeast Salem. A voice announced, "You may now make your way to school." Hannah heard Madison and Seth shout, "THANK YOU!" The bars that were formerly covering the entrance/exit to the strange chamber receded into the ceiling.

Anna shook her head and chuckled. "You've got one crazy brother." Hannah gave a little chuckle, a little apprehensive of going into the new school. Anna walked on as if everything was ok in her world. "I wouldn't be talking, if I were you," Hannah told her friend. "Yeah," Anna agreed. "Me neither."

Hannah sighed and rolled her eyes. Anna would have a ball once she met Madison and Seth. She would fit in right perfectly with the Gente crowd. Which brought to mind a worry of Hannah's. What if she didn't get into the same house as her friend? She resolved to try and answer the test in a way that would make her seem more like Anna.

She wasn't able to say anything as someone shouted, "All first years come to me!" Eventually all of the first years, about sixty-five all told, were assembled in front of the professor who had called them.

He was tall and muscular, with the frame of a wrestler. The top of his head was covered by the hood of his all-black robes. Despite his dour outfit, he smiled cheerfully at them. "Welcome to the Southeast Salem School of Magic. I'm Professor Rhodes, teacher of History of Magic. Please go into the bathrooms at your left, then go into this room here," He pointed over his shoulder at a door. "I'll be waiting in here for you."

-----------

Hannah remembered a bit of Salem history that was one of the ways it differed from schools in any other country. It did not have a uniform, but a very un-restricting dress code. She was glad of this. The only weird part was that you had to wear the same outfit year-round.

Her outfit was all shades of light purple. It was a combination of dress and robes, and the legs only split at her knees. The outfit seemed to shimmer and looked as if it was see-through, but it wasn't.

She went out of the dressing room, and went into the test room. She quickly found a seat beside Anna, and surveyed her friend's outfit as she waited for Prof. Rhodes to give them their test.

Anna had on tight black pants, a tight black shirt, and all kinds of assorted jewelry; bracelets, anklets, necklaces and such. Draped across her back was a black cape. She looked as if she were Hannah's darker side. "More likely my insane side," Hannah muttered.

"Well," came Mr. Rhodes voice, "That's everyone." The door shut, and he waved his wand. Small cups of liquid appeared on each of the desks they were sitting at. "Drink these, and then I'll give you the test." They did, and Hannah found it tasted a lot like chocolate milk.

After Mr. Rhodes was sure everyone had drunk up, he waved his wand again. Tests, along with quills, appeared on every desk. "Begin," Prof. Rhodes said, and they did.

Hannah found the test interesting. On it were questions like, Do you like your hair long or short, and: are your fingernails long or short. Hannah thought all of these questions were kind of irrelevant to sorting her into a house.

When everyone was through, Prof. Rhodes waved his wand and all of the tests flew to his outstretched hand. "Now go through that door, up the stairs, take a right," He told them, "And assemble at the front of the hall." They nodded, and went to do so.

-----------

"Here come the small ones!" Seth said gleefully. "Now be nice," Chanteau told her volatile friend. Seth shrugged. "I'll try," was all he said.

Chanteau looked Seth up and down. He was wearing a black chainmail outfit, and over that was a black cape. It looked becoming on him, she thought, but must be heavy. Why does he where it, then? She asked herself. Then she looked around to try and find Madison, whose outfit was likely to be much more interesting than Seth's.

She couldn't find him, but was not worried. Angelique was a bit, however. She kept looking around, and was fiercely guarding the seat next to her. Chanteau chuckled at Angelique's protectiveness. One time she had said a curse that was half one, half the other, at a person who had hugged Madison, and both had worked, an amazing feat of magical potency.

Seth had joked that if Angelique ever needed to win a duel all they needed to do was let Madison hug the person she would fight. He had had to hastily retreat the room as Angelique sent a barrage of hexes his way.

Chanteau eyed the girl with a slight frown. Chanteau's outfit was a deep blue dress, and nothing more complex than that. Anqelique's, however, was at the edge of the dress code.

The girl had an super-tight black shorts that came down to her mid thigh, a sleeveless shirt that was cut extremely low and showed her belly button. Over this was a mostly transparent red robe, which matched the girl's red hair.

When all of the first years were standing right in front of the staff table, the headmaster of the school, an older man in glowing pink robes and matching top hat stood up. "Here begins the placement of the new first ye-" He was cut off when the doors on the left side of the hall burst open. Everyone knew immediately who it was, and several of the teachers sighed.

It was Madison, who was what he preferred to be: fashionably late.

His cape, made of shimmering gray silk, was casually draped over his back, and wrapped around his left leg.

His wand no one could see, because of his habit of hiding somewhere, and no one knew where that place was. No one could deny, though, Madison's quickness at getting the wand out of wherever he put it. He wore dark purple clothing that fit his form loosely, giving the impression that he was underweight. On his wrists and ankles were many gold, silver, and black bracelets.

He wore shining black dragon-skin boots, and a matching pair of gloves. He wore his dark blond hair pulled back in a ponytail, which was mostly hidden by his cape. On his head was a particular object of curiosity, his gigantic wide-brimmed hat. It was plumed with a gigantic purple cockatrice feather.

Every eye in the room was on him as he strode to the Gente table, though he took it all in stride.

"Glad you could join us," The headmaster said. "Me too." Madison answered without meeting a beat. He was one of the few students who would act this way with any member of the staff. He did this because he knew that he would not get into any trouble with the headmaster, the two of them being equally crazy.

"How have you been, Caelyn?" Madison asked, referring to the headmaster by his first name. "Well enough." The headmaster looked around, and then bent forwards and lowered his voice, as if trying to tell Madison as quietly as he could.

"We might be interrupting something." Caelyn told the young wizard. Madison jumped backwards a bit. "What?" He asked. "You may continue," He told everyone. Caelyn nodded demurely.

Madison sat down next to Angelique, and everyone listened to what houses the first years were put into.

After this was over with, (Hannah and Anna both being put into Gente) the headmaster stood up again. "Ah bee, ah bah, ah boo boo." He said, then sat down again. Everyone was confused at these words, but most of them were used to their Headmaster's craziness.

Madison, however, was particularly amused at Caelyn's choice of words. They had been Madison's first words. Madison shrugged this off as he set into the feast that had just appeared in front of him.

-----------

After the feast everyone headed up to their dormitories. Angelique clung to Madison's arm, and guided him off to the side to talk to him as they made their way through the underground halls of Southeast Salem.

Chanteau was walking to Seth, though was not clinging to his arm, as was Angelique Madison's. "A bit aggressive, isn't she?" Chanteau asked. Seth shot a glance over at Madison and Angelique, and smirked. "Yep. I bet Madison doesn't mind, though."

Chanteau snorted. "That's probably putting it lightly." Madison had been severely disliked by almost everyone his age before he had come to Salem, and was sort-of starved for attention from his peers. Chanteau had to admit that he was doing a remarkably good job of getting it.

They came to the entrance to house Gente, and several people said good night to friends from other houses. Seth went into the room and sighed. It was good to be back.


	5. First of the Year

Chapter Five: First Classes

Hannah often looked back on her first days at Salem, and smiled every time she did. Most people did, with Seth being an exception. Due to a very strange magical accident, he had never had a first day at the school.

Apparently, he had been there on his first day, but hadn't been at the same time. Hannah never fully understood, and she doubted if anyone else did. Maybe Madison.

The first breakfast she had at the school was an interesting one, no doubt about it. It erupted into a food fight, which she learned was a school tradition. Heck, even some of the teachers joined in.

Hannah's first move was to grab a few syrup-covered pancakes and start throwing them like Frisbees. She was particularly proud of her aim when she hit Prof. Rhodes in the face. Then someone behind her soaked her with a pitcher of orange juice. She had run out of pancakes, so she picked up a tray of soggy biscuits and started to throw those.

As one of them left her hand it transformed into a fist-sized spider. She shrieked and looked around for the source of the strange magic. Hannah wasn't doing to well at finding it when one of her own pancakes was thrown at her, making her duck. This, however, turned out to be helpful. As she was down on the ground she saw that it was Madison and Seth who had been casting the biscuit-to-spider spells. She shook her head and moved farther away from the malicious pair.

After a while there was a loud bang from the front of the room, and all of the food-flinging stopped. The headmaster, Caelyn Coko, was standing in his usual spot, food all over his lurid pink outfit. "This concludes our yearly food fight. I hope you had fun." Several people started screaming, something about spiders.

Coko eyed Madison and Seth over the rim of his glasses as they clambered out from under the table they had been hiding under. Coko had a smirk on his lips. "It looks like at least two of our number enjoyed themselves." At this, half the people in the hall sent various items of food at the only two had, up until then, escaped from being hit by any food.

That was one of Hannah's favorite memories, seeing Madison and Seth covered in various breakfast foods.

After everyone had gotten cleaned up Hannah and Anna went to their first class, Charms, who they had heard was going to be taught by a Professor Wright. Rumors had been floating around that he had been in house Gente when he had come to the school.

"Welcome to Charms!" Was the first thing Prof. Wright said to them when they arrived in class. "I know you don't want to hear about me, so we'll get right to the magic."

The greeting she received in History of Magic, which was taught by Professor Rhodes, was a lot more formal, but less than she expected. When her name was called during role, Prof. Rhodes looked up at her. "You're the one who hit me with a pancake." Everyone in the class chuckled. "Good aim," Prof. Rhodes commented.

Those were her only two classes that day, and after that she went to dinner, where she took a seat next to her brother. Madison looked at her with a questioning look. "I take it you don't just want my company?" He asked.

Hannah chuckled and shook her head. "I was wondering if you could help me with the spells we learn." Madison smiled and quickly nodded his head. He could use some reviewing on the spells he had learned in his first year.

After asking her question she left.

Madison looked around. Other than him and Seth, none of their circle of friends had come back yet. Maybe something had happened, he wondered. Seth and he both had two advanced classes apiece. Both had 4th years charms, Seth had 4th year Defense, and Madison had 4th year Transfiguration. They had just been in Charms, and were separated from their house during that time

-----------

Chanteau hurried out of Defense Against the Dark Arts, her last class for the day. There had been a strange accident with a boggart and the door, and it had taken Professor Davver a while to get rid of it.

She hurried to the dining hall ahead of her classmates, eager to eat. Though she was fit and not overweight, she could eat a load of food. Seth could as well, though Chanteau knew he was a little overweight.

When she got to the dining hall and saw Madison she sighed. Madison didn't eat much. He almost didn't eat enough. Most people attributed his underweight look to his baggy clothing, but Chanteau had seen Madison with his shirt off. His stomach, while well muscled, seemed to cave in, and his ribs were clearly visible against his skin.

She shook her head and went to join them. Chanteau had talked to Madison about his eating habits, but to no avail. He just didn't like eating, he said.

Chanteau cleared her head of these thoughts. "You both looked so handsome with food all over you." "Yes," agreed Angelique, hugging Madison before she sat down beside him. Madison looked a little off-balance. He didn't how to take all of this blatant affection. "You were so cute!" Angelique ended.

Chanteau didn't bother to disguise her snort as she sat down across from Madison and next to Seth. "Well thanks, Angel," Madison said. Seth, however, responded the Madison might have had he kept all of his wits. "I know." Chanteau laughed. There was never a shortage of laughs around this pair.

"Did you find out when Quidditch tryouts are?" Seth asked. Chanteau nodded. "Friday." Madison and Seth grinned. "You want to do some practice tonight?" Seth asked. Chanteau was happy that they would help her. She thought she was good already, but desperately wanted the spot.

"Are you trying out?" She asked Angelique. "Nope," She said, chuckling. "It's too tough for me." Madison looked at her sideways. "I think you could do it, Angel." Chanteau was a bit shocked. Madison was an excellent judge of a person's abilities, and to hear that this girl who was about a foot shorter than her could make the position…

"No, you need to have muscle, like you have," Angelique said, squeezing Madison's arm. He shrugged and chuckled. "I suppose so." Angelique smiled seductively at him. "That's why you're so good at it." Madison almost snorted out the milk he had been drinking.

"Um… Uh… I said I'd help my sister with some homework, and it looks like she's done, so I'm going to go do that now," He explained as he got up from the table. Angelique smiled to herself and moved to sit with some friends from another house.

"Have you ever seen Madison so off balance?" Chanteau asked. "Nope," Seth said, chuckling, "Not since we tried to go over a tight rope."

-----------

"So," Madison asked, "What spell did he try to get you to do?" Hannah responded, "Alohamora." Madison smiled reminiscently, and Hannah could just imagine all the trouble he had gotten into with that particular spell. "Yeah, that was fun, but he didn't teach us that spell until end of the semester you're in."

Madison pumped his arm and his wand flew into his hand. "How do you do that?" Hannah asked. Madison glared around the almost empty common room, and then leaned closer as if to make sure the people around them couldn't hear. The only people in the room were some seventh years, and they were sleeping. Madison was tempted to poke them, but decided against it.

"The thing is, Nanners," (That had become Hannah's nickname among the Gente house) Madison began, "To visualize what you're trying to do. Close your eyes and try to do the spell, concentrating on making the lock open."

He looked around for a moment, then ducked under one of the couches. He came out bearing a locked trunk. "Okay, Hannah, try now." She nodded, closed her eyes, and said, "Alohamora," waving her wand. Madison nodded as she did so. She had the incantation and the movements of the wand correct.

The surprise to him was that it didn't work. Instead, the trunk flew up a few feet and came back down loudly. "Well," He said, "The incantation was right, and the wand movements. I don't know what was wrong."   
"Need help?" Asked Dugger, the most gifted wizard in the school. "Silencing Spell on your shoes?" Madison asked. Dugger nodded. Madison had excellent hearing, and was almost never snuck up on. Of course, Dugger's magic was more powerful that Madison's hearing.

Dugger had transferred to Salem at the beginning of his second year. He had been sorted into Gente, and had quickly befriended Madison.

"Why are you late?" Madison asked, referring to the fact that Dugger hadn't been in the Trans Room. "Werewolf attack." Madison smiled, looking excited. "What happened?" He asked.

"On the drive down we had to stop for gas, and I went out in the woods while my mom got the gas." Madison almost winced at mention of Dugger's mom. She mistreated Dugger, and was mean to everyone.

"And in the woods," Dugger continued, oblivious to Madison's thoughts, "A werewolf attacked me." Madison looked confused. "In the middle of the day?" Dugger shook his head. "I never said it was day."

"Anyway, I was able to fight it off, but not before it nearly bit off my arm." He rubbed said arm, as if it still hurt. "We got to the healer fine," He continued, still rubbing his arm, "But we were late as it was." He looked thoughtful. "Mom nearly killed me after the healer was done."

"Well Dugger," Madison said, trying to brighten the mood, "You're just the person we need." "What can I do for you?" Dugger asked. "My young sister here needs help with the unlocking spell." Dugger nodded, and leaned over to whisper something in Hannah's ear. She nodded, and proceeded to cast the spell perfectly.

"Well I'll be darned," Madison said. Dugger shrugged. Hannah smiled, and Madison recognized it as the smile of a young wizard learning their first spell.

"That's that!" He proclaimed, heading down the stairs to the boy's sleeping area, where he kept his broom. "I'm going to the Quidditch field," He said. "You want to come?" Madison asked of Dugger.

"Sure," Dugger agreed, "So long as that Angelique isn't around." Madison snorted. Apparently Dugger had seen Angelique, and didn't like what he had seen. Madison sighed. Angelique was a nice person, though she overdid it a bit. Dugger had never liked girls anyway.

-----------

"Wow!" Seth said, after Chanteau scored her tenth consecutive goal past him. He was a fairly good keeper, but had no way of stopping Chanteau's super-fast shots.

"Where's Madison?" Chanteau asked. Seth shrugged. "Right here!" He yelled from below Chanteau. She had to swerve out of the way of his flight to avoid getting hit. "Let's see how good you are scoring goals when you have distractions!" Madison said.

Chanteau grinned and rushed her broom towards the goalposts where Seth was residing. Madison grinned as well, and speeded behind her. He easily caught up to her, proving a fact that not all people knew.

The speed of a broom was not totally dependent on the broom. The more skilled a person was the faster they could go. And Madison was much more skilled at flying than Chanteau was.

Madison waited until the last moment and then shot over Chanteau until he was in front of her. She swerved aside and dropped the quaffle, which Madison flew down and caught. "Take it easy, Madison," Seth ordered. Madison was not paying attention.

"You'll want this back, I'd reckon," Madison stated. Chanteau nodded, and shot towards Madison. He smirked and shot straight down, slow enough that Chanteau could follow him closely. Madison then pulled up on his broom and shot towards the goalposts.

Chanteau kept following him, but had to pull up when he did a feat that she had as much a chance of duplicating as safely shoving her wand up her nose. Which, despite what Seth might say, was not very likely.

Madison was circling the foot-in-diameter pole rapidly, almost a rotation a second. Seth whistled. He would be very hard pressed to do what Madison was doing.

Chanteau's brow furrowed with worry when she saw what was happening. Madison had a tendency to lose control of himself while on his broom. She sighed and shook her head. There was nothing she could do to stop it now.

Madison had started speeding up as he got closer to the top of the pole. When he did, he went through the goal once, then shot up to the cavern ceiling of the area, going out of sight behind a stalagmite.

After Madison didn't come down for a few seconds, Chanteau asked, "Do you think we should go check on him?" Seth nodded reluctantly. "He probably won't come down until we do.

They flew up to the ceiling and quickly saw Madison, with his broom beside him, sleeping. Chanteau shook her head and waved her wand at her sleeping friend. He woke up with a start.

"What's happening!?" He asked. "You're dead and have come to heaven." Chanteau explained. Madison looked around the cavern, accepting this news with ease. "It could do with some decoration."


	6. Quidditch Tryouts and a Duel

Chapter Six: Quidditch Tryouts and a Duel Between Friends

"We need something to do!" Complained Marit to her friends. "We've got something to do," Said Emily, who was preparing to duel Aibyoukai. Marit shrugged. "We need to get on the quidditch team."

Aibyoukai nodded, drawing her wand as she did so. "I know, but it's so hard." Marit nodded. "I know it is, but if THOSE two can do it, we can as well." Nobody had to ask who THOSE two were. Madison and Seth. Emily had still not gotten over the incident in the Room of Transition. It had taken her the night and the next morning to get over the trauma of so many jinxes and hexes.

They were sitting in the common room of their house, Alo. Emily and Aibyoukai had decided to practice dueling if they ever needed the skills against Seth or Madison. Which they were planning on needing.

"Well, get on with the action!" Marit ordered. "I don't have anything else to do." Emily considered sending a spell her friend's way. Her brow furrowed in worry when she saw Marit.

There were several new scars on the girl's face, and her skin was paler than ever. She looked as if she weren't eating, her gaunt appearance rivaling Madison's. "You look pretty bad," Emily told her. Marit shrugged. "Everything's ok. The last time I transformed I nearly killed this guy, but he was able to get me good." She winced and put her hand up to a scar.

Emily shrugged and leveled her wand at Aibyoukai. "Ready?" She asked. Aibyoukai didn't bother to respond formally, yelling, "Vivito Mori!" This knocked Emily right off her feet to land on the ground face-first. She didn't bother to tell Aibyoukai off for starting before she was ready, but simply rolled to the side to dodged the next incoming spell.

Emily stood and jumped back, narrowly dodging the next spell. She raised her own wand and yelled, "Petrificus Totalus!" Aibyoukai moved her wand and blocked the spell, but this action cost her the next spell, which was a jinx sent by Emily.

Aibyoukai fell to the ground to avoid the jinx, and yelled, "Tantellegra," Pointing her wand at Emily's legs. Emily didn't have enough time to jump out of the way, and was hit by Aibyoukai's specialized Dancing Jinx. She started dancing, as per the normal of the spell, but this dance was different. Her legs were waltzing.

Marit started laughing, and Emily wanted to shoot a spell at her, but knew she knew she would need it to defeat Aibyoukai. She was lucky, she thought, that she was able to get both the people she wanted to hit with one spell.

"Expelliarmus!" She yelled. Aibyoukai's wand flew up into the air, and Aibyoukai was thrown onto Marit with the power of the spell. Emily chuckled as the magic of the Dancing Jinx wore off. She was getting good at this.

-----------

When Friday came, along with Quidditch tryouts, Chanteau didn't feel too good. She desperately wanted to make the team, but having talked to a lot of people who did, she wasn't sure she was going to be able to do it.

"You need to eat something," Madison suggested. Chanteau snorted. "That coming from you," She said. Madison shrugged. "I don't get nervous. And I don't like to eat."

"Madison's right," Seth put in. Madison nodded. "I'm always right. You are too." Seth smirked. "Most of the time." Madison nodded again in compliance. "Most of the time," he agreed, "But especially right now." "Yep," Seth said, going back to his eggs and bacon.

Madison was actually eating something this time. He had already had a piece of bacon, and was nibbling on another. Chanteau poked him in the ribs, and said, "You need to eat more."

"Why?" Madison asked. "If you don't you might get fat." Seth suggested for Chanteau. Madison and Chanteau turned to Seth. "I don't think so," Chanteau said. Seth shrugged, and took another bite of egg.

"Madison," Chanteau said, "I don't want you to starve to death." Madison indicated his bacon. "I AM eating," He told her. Chanteau shrugged. "It's not enough," she said, but left it at that.

"Who's your competition?" Seth asked. Chanteau put down her fork and pointed at the people as she said their names. "Tosha is going to try out, and Kristopher Jayroe, Cherry Shover," Her hand started pointing farther down the table where the older people were sitting.

"Jake Struckman's going to, and Casandra Cleveland, Kimberly Pinto, that guy is, and Jody Kahanek." Madison and Seth nodded.

"Well, you don't have to worry about Tosh or Kristo," Madison told her. "Or Jaky," Seth put in. "How would you know?" Chanteau asked. "He's in Meon's year," He explained, referring to his brother Simeon, "And I've seen him duel. He sucks." Madison nodded. "Was he that guy who threw up because someone overpowered a dancing charm?" Seth nodded reminiscently.

One of the things they liked about the school was that they got Fridays off. Normally they would spend them reading or off wandering in the mushroom forest, but Mohrin Ling, the House Gente keeper and team captain, had requested that the team all be there for the tryouts. And likely after that they would have a party. They had those a lot, and would take any excuse to have one.

Chanteau looked up at the magical clock that was on the ceiling. She sighed and pushed her plate away. "Time for tryouts." Madison and Seth nodded, pulling out their brooms from under the table. "See you there," they told her.

"But riding a broom in school can get you a lot of detention!" Chanteau protested. Without explaining any more the two of them pulled their invisibility cloaks out from under the table, and covertly put them on. Chanteau could hear a slight 'whoosh' as the two of them took off.

She stood up and headed to House Gente to get her broom. On her way she met Angelique. "Have you seen Madison?" She asked. Chanteau hid a smirk. "Yeah, he went off to the Quidditch cave. Angelique left that way without saying thank you. Chanteau shook her head and went on to get her broom.

-----------

All in all Chanteau thought she did a good job. She was kind of troubled when she couldn't see Madison or Seth watching her, but she knew they were there somewhere. As she descended down she scanned the crown in the bleachers, hoping to spot on of her friends.

"How're you feeling?" Someone asked. Chanteau looked around, and couldn't find the source of the voice. Then Seth flew down from above her, and she looked at him. "Why were you up there?" She asked, gesturing towards the ceiling. "Mo wanted different perspectives."

"I think I did ok," Chanteau answered, going back to the original question. "You did awesome!" Madison put in. "Where is he?" Chanteau asked. Seth sighed and pointed his wand into mid air. "Accio invisibility cloak!" Madison suddenly appeared right next to Chanteau, and his cloak zoomed to Seth. Seth didn't catch it, forcing Madison to dive and get it.

"That wasn't very nice." Madison complained as soon as they were on the ground. "You know I don't like you being invisible around me," Chanteau told him. Madison nodded. "Not my fault. Mo told me to follow the chasers around and watch them." Chanteau nodded in comprehension.

"And how did I do?" Chanteau asked. "You were the best I saw." He said. "Are you just saying that?" Chanteau asked, a bit suspicious. "You know I don't do that." Madison said. Chanteau nodded. "You don't." Madison preferred honesty to niceness, as most people knew.

After they had put their brooms up, they sat down in their favorite chairs in the Gente common room. "Sooooo…" Seth said. "What chu want to do?" Chanteau asked lazily. Seth shrugged, and it seemed Madison had fallen into a daze.

The results of the tryouts, they had heard, would be told during supper tonight. Chanteau had decided to try and not act anxious, and enjoy the day.

Seth shrugged, then turned to see who had just entered the room. It was Angelique. Seth turned his head to hide a smile from the girl. "Have you seen Madison? Angelique asked. Seth nodded his head towards his sleeping friend.

Angelique smiled and walked over to the couch where Madison was. "My Madi, wake up," She said, poking him in the stomach. "WHAT! WHERE?" Madison yelled, snapping awake. Angelique jumped back, extremely startled. She apparently hadn't seen Madison wake up before, thought Seth.

"Don't scare me like that," Chanteau reprimanded. Madison shook his head to rid it of his lingering sleepiness. "Sorry, Angel." Angelique stepped back closer to him and put her arm around his back. "Let's go to the mushroom forest," She suggested, though it was more an order. Madison said, "Sure, Angel," and followed her out of the room.

As soon as they got out Chanteau and Seth burst out laughing. "They're hopeless," Chanteau said.

-----------

Seth and Chanteau were even more amused when Madison and Angelique didn't turn up for dinner. Chanteau was a bit disappointed that Madison didn't turn up to hear the results of the Quidditch tryouts, but knew that it probably wasn't his fault. Madison was just too damn passive when it came to relationships.

After most everyone had sat down, Coko stood up and gestured for silence. It came, as many were anxiously awaiting the results. "Here are the people who made the Quidditch teams this year. I look forwards to seeing you all get hur- NO! I mean I look forwards to seeing you all have fun."

This really lifted a good bit of the tension. "If only Madison were here," Seth murmured.

Eventually Coko said who made the Quidditch teams, and Chanteau had. A party ensued. There wasn't sleep for a good while for Chanteau.


	7. The Lion, The Witch, And The Werewolf

Chapter Seven: The Lion, The Witch, and the Werewolf

Now, it wasn't all that wildly known (though it was suspected by quite a few) that Madison and Seth were as big troublemakers as they were. They were, of course, but their small reputation at the profession was due to the fact that they were so good at not getting caught.

And so it was one night when they were sneaking around the castle after turning most of professor Rhodes' history books into hamburgers. The transfiguration would at most last a couple of days, even though Madison had been the one to transform them.

Madison could have done the whole thing all by himself, except for getting through the door into the classroom. Seth's unlocking charm was more powerful than his, no question about it. And Seth knew a handy spell that would erase all traces of a magical signature, leaving Professor Rhodes with no way of knowing who it was who had transformed all of his books into a particularly tasty form of muggle fast food.

As they were making their way up the stairs from the class level of the school to the meeting hall, in their invisibility cloaks, of course, they heard someone coming. "Stay still," They told each other. Instead of someone coming down the stairs, they heard the main door open and close. Someone was going to the Room of Transition.

Madison and Seth looked to where they thought the other was. Madison asked, "Do you want to go?" Seth nodded. "Of course. This may be our only chance to get out of Salem for a while."

Seth was referring to the fact that the main door out of the school could not be opened except with a key given to a person by the headmaster that would remove the locking magic of the door. And neither of them had even seen a key like this. They were hoping that the magic would be lessened with its recent opening, and that Seth would be able to open it. His unlocking charm, as said before, was more powerful than Madison's.

Without saying another word the two of them rushed up the stairs to the door. Seth whispered, "Alohamora." The door slowly creaked open, They slipped through the opening, not wanting to open the door further and risk making any noise. Madison slowly shut the door, and the two of them went into the Room of Transition, making no noise at all.

There were several people already in the room. To Madison and Seth's surprise, these people were Marit, Emily, and Aibyoukai. Madison and Seth started working independently now, and each went off to separate corners to wait for the rooms to switch between where it was and the Station Below.

After a short while the three visible people in the room started to talk. "Are you feeling all right, Marit?" One of them asked. Neither Seth nor Madison could clearly hear this, so they crept closer.

"Yeah," Panted Marit, "The transformation isn't for a while." "Long enough for us to get you out of here and to the zoo?" Emily asked in a concerned voice. Marit nodded and winced. Madison and Seth had both arrived at the same conclusion about Marit.

Marit was a werewolf. She had to be; there was no other explanation for it. And Coko had to know about it. The three second years couldn't have opened the door on their own. Though they both knew this, they each had different ideas of what to do with the information.

For starters, they were glad for the extra bit of excitement. Madison had decided he would like to get to know more about the girl. Seth's ideas, however, were far more devious. He was thinking about using the information as potential blackmail. The idea did pass through Madison's head, but he dismissed it rather quickly.

After a while the room had fully transitioned, and the two girls helped the werewolf to hobble out of the room. Madison and Seth went along as well, lifting their cloaks where their feet would show. They had devised this way of finding out where the other was when they had tricked a muggle boy into believing that two pairs of disembodied feet were walking around.

Madison was in the lead, so Seth sped up to him. "Still following them?" Seth asked. "Of course," Madison responded. "Just making sure," Seth told him. "So," Madison asked, "What do you think?"

"They're heading to the zoo," Seth stated. Madison sighed. "I know that. Anything else you've thought of that's NOT obvious?" He asked. Seth nodded, though Madison had no way of knowing, Seth being invisible and all. "Good subject for blackmail," Seth said.

"I thought of that me self," Madison agreed, "But I'm not so sure." "What do you mean?" Seth asked as they followed the three girls around a corner. "Think about," Madison explained, "If you were cursed, how would you feel about being blackmailed about it?"

There was a silence, and Madison took this as a shrug. "But consider it," Seth asked of him. "I will," Madison promised, though he had very little probability to actually agree with the idea. "We're here," Madison told his friend. "I know we are. Remember that time we came down here and almost got killed?" Seth asked. "Yep, it wasn't all that long ago…" "Yes it was," Seth disagreed. "Suit yourself."

At this they came to the entrance of the zoo. Someone from inside opened the door and let the three girls in, then shut it again, magically locking it again.

The two of them walked up to the door. "Do ye think ye can manage it?" Madison asked. Seth shrugged under his cloak and pulled out his wand. Madison heard him say, "Alohamora," but the door didn't open.

Then Madison had an idea. "Seth, try and remove as much of the enchantments on the lock as you can." Seth said, "Sure. But alohamora won't work. The locking enchantment is on the whole door." Madison nodded. "I know. But do it anyway." Seth turned and closed his eyes, concentrating hard, and waved his wand.

Madison drew his wand, and pointed at the lock. He whispered, "Dohydrana," And the door slowly swung open. He jumped from where he was into the build, but Seth just walked. Straight through a puddle of water.

"Madison," He called. Madison turned around. "Yes?" "That's sixth grade level transfiguration." Madison nodded, smiling, though invisibly. "It took me a while to learn over the summer." Seth asked, "How did you do magic over the summer without the Ministry detecting you?"

"You know my grandmother?" Madison asked. "Yeah," Seth answered, "What about her?" Madison's grandmother was a famous potion brewer. "Any magic within a mile of her house cannot be detected from outside the area," Madison explained. "I was over there for a month when my family went to visit my uncle in Hawaii."

Seth cast his spell that erased the magical signatures, then followed Madison as they searched for the three girls. Eventually they caught up to them, and Marit was floundering on the ground. "Get her in their with the wolves, we don't have time to get her to her own cage." One of them said, and they helped the fast transforming werewolf into the pin with the wolves.

After they had done so, they all watched as Marit transformed. He legs and arms elongated, and her feet and hands turned into paws. She grew a snout, and her teeth grew into sharp points. Her skin turned dark and dusky, and she started to sprout brownish gray hairs. And then the transformation was over.

Madison and Seth looked on with awe and grins on their faces. This was great. They had never seen a werewolf transform before. This was one for the books.

Then they heard Emily's voice. "Wait a minute! They moved the wolves! This is the manticore pen!" She said in worry. "Oh shit," Aibyoukai muttered.

"Did you hear that?" Seth asked excitedly. "How could I not?" Madison answered dryly. "Now we could help them, and get back at the manticore for earlier!" Madison nodded, beginning to like the plan. He still wasn't done being pessimistic, though.

"Assuming that this is our manticore. And we could be killed," He told his friend. Seth shrugged. "And I'm assuming the only reason you're doing this is for further blackmail." Madison asked. Seth sniggered for an answer. Madison chuckled as well. "Let's go then," He said.

By the time they got into the cage, the werewolf and the manticore were facing each other. Seth leaned over to whisper in Madison's ear. "I'll get the manticore." Madison answered with, "Sure."

The werewolf had hear the small exchange and turned to look at them. The manticore didn't have nearly as good hearing, and kept its eyes on the werewolf. Madison moved quietly sideways, but the werewolf could still hear, and fully turned that way. The manticore started to spring, but Seth yelled, "IMPEDIMENTA!" The spell hit the manticore full on, and knocked it back a few paces, though it was far from finished.

The werewolf turned to Seth and prepared to leap, but Madison yelled, "DOHYDRANA!" The blue beam of the spell hit the werewolf in the stomach and bounced off, turning a portion of the bars into water. "Damn it," Madison muttered as the werewolf turned to him. He pocketed his wand, and threw off his invisibility cloak. It would be too much an impediment to his fighting.

Madison guessed here would be where he would see if all of his nights spent teaching himself ninjitsu would help. Ninjitsu was the martial art of the ninjas, and had come easily to Madison. It was a rather strange thing, that one like him would spend so many hours teaching himself a martial art, but he had done it.

Aibyoukai and Emily gasped when the two spells shot out of nowhere, but gasped even louder when Madison appeared. Their first thoughts were that he had found out that their friend was cursed, but their next thoughts were less alarmed. The manticore could have killed Marit, but now maybe Madison could stop that.

But what if Madison or his invisible friend were either one killed? Marit, while she was a registered witch, was not a registered werewolf. If the American ministry found out she would be moved to a werewolf camp and not be permitted to leave or learn magic.

The werewolf lunged and swung at Madison. He ducked, and kicked out at the werewolf's knee. His blow connected with a loud crack, and the werewolf fell, swinging its arms as it did so. Madison was able to jump back out of the way.

The werewolf stood, its leg not broken, and swung at Madison again. He ducked and stood, but saw too late that the werewolf had held its swing until now. He was able to step forward and not get hit by the werewolf's claws, which would most certainly be the end of him.

He flew through the air, still holding on to the werewolf's arm, and was slammed into the bars of the cage, completely smashing up his left arm and shoulder. It was broken in several places, that was to be sure of, and the muscle was severely torn. He yelled out in pain, but kept hold of the werewolf's arm with his right.

The werewolf expected him to let go of its arm when it slammed the boy into the cage bars, but he didn't. The arm was brought down with a crack, and the werewolf launched the boy a good bit away.

Madison was almost able to land on his feet, but twisted his right ankle with a crack. He stood up shakily; supporting most of his weight on his left foot, and drew his wand. He pointed it at a coconut on one of the trees in the pin, and yelled, "Accio!" Glad that Professor Wright had taught his charms class the summoning spell.

The wolf jumped at him, about to come down, and Madison did a last bit of magic, turning the coconut into a block of silver. It slammed into the werewolf's back, the creature letting out a yelp as it was knocked out.

Madison rolled to the side to avoid being smothered under the werewolf, yelping as he rolled onto his injured arm, and the pain knocked him out.

Aibyoukai and Emily watched in awe as all of this happened, and as an invisible Seth killed the manticore. Then Madison's body disappeared, and they sat down to wait for the setting of the moon, when their friend would turn back into a human, and they could leave.

-----------

That night Seth brought Madison to the Healing Ward of the school. Josephine, the resident healer at Southeast Salem, awoke with a start, and, upon seeing the pair of them, Madison floating by Seth's side, blood dripping out of his arm, asked, "What has Madison done?"

Josephine knew the pair of them by name, with all the dueling and Quidditch wounds they received. In their second year they had been in the Healer's Ward a total of thirteen times.

Josephine levitated Madison onto the nearest bed, and handed Seth a small vial. "Give this to him," She ordered, "then get out of here." Seth nodded and did so, helping the liquid to go down Madison's throat, then left. He knew better than to not follow Josephine's orders. She could get really mad.

By the time the reviving potion had affected Madison the healer had gotten him out of his cape and shirt, though tatters of it remained on his arm. He looked at the arm and winced. Though most of the pain was gone, it hurt just to look at the arm.

Several chunks had been torn out, but most of it was still there. It was smashed up and oozing blood. Josephine walked up to him. "It'll be okay," She promised him as she helped him to a sleeping potion.

It wouldn't be, she knew. Madison would most likely always feel the wound he had received that night.

-----------

All in all, Madison actually enjoyed that night. It was a Thursday that day, so he had no worries about missing any classes. The excitement of the night would be with him a long time, and he received a lot of attention throughout the weekend.

At one time, Mohrin Ling, the Gente Quidditch captain, came by and told him to heal up fast. There was a Quidditch match Monday, and they would need their favorite beater.

"You'll be fine," The teary eyed Angelique told him. Madison smiled. "I hope so, Angel." Though a lot of people thought the girl to be annoying, Madison actually quite liked her. Angelique had not left Madison since she had first heard the news Friday morning and had come to check on him.

Chanteau and Seth had just walked into the room. "Hurry up and get better!" She ordered, then dragged Seth out of the room. Angelique stood to go tell her off for being so mean, but Madison held her back with his good arm, snickering the whole time.

When Chanteau dragged Seth out of the room another person entered. It was Dugger. He was dressed in purple and black clothing, three layers of it, all in descending lengths. He was carrying a vial filled with a fizzy green potion. He walked over to Madison and handed it to him.

"I take it this is to drink?" Madison asked. "Uh-huh." Dugger responded. "Why do I get the feeling this is not legal?" Madison asked. Dugger smirked and left the room. Madison gulped down the foul tasting potion, and immediately felt his arm wound lessen.

A few hours later, when Angelique had fallen asleep, her head on Madison's stomach, another person stepped tentatively into the room. It was Marit.

She stared into Madison's eyes for a moment, and then he winked. She smiled and left the room, content in the knowledge that her secret was safe.


	8. The Plot Darkens

Chapter Eight: The Plot Darkens

_Vexter Donnigen walked down the dark alleys of Ringgold, his wand out. He had been called here by a nameless dark witch, and was wary of anything said witch might be trying to pull off._

_Vexter had been thrown out of Southeast Salem in his sixth year after he was caught practicing dark magic. His wand had been snapped, and most of his memory erased. After an encounter with a dementor, though, he remembered it all. And he was ready for revenge. _

_He had found a new wand and a new identity in the wizarding world. He had obtained a job at a nearby library, and was there able to teach himself what he would have learned in his seventh year, and more besides. Including some dark magic from the old Salem incident._

_The Donnigens were involved in the infamous Salem Witch Trials. Vexter had done a good bit of research on his family tree, and most of his family had been some of the Dark Convene back then. What he couldn't find was how they had survived. _

_He turned into another dark alley, and came to where he had been told to come. He was a bit surprised that there were more than one mages here. He had suspected something of the sort, but had dismissed the possibility. Apparently he had been wrong to do so._

"_Now that the last of our number is here, I can begin," Said the witch, the one who had invited them all to join her. _

"_Our number?" One of the younger witches gathered there asked. "I haven't signed on with anyone yet, and I won't until I'm sure there's something to be gained in doing so." Most of the people there murmured their agreeance with this statement. Vexter kept silent._

"_Suit yourself," The nameless witch shrugged, her black cloak rippling about her._

_Another of the younger members, a male this time, said, "I won't follow you until you have given us something to call you by." The witch shrugged again. "I am Sarah Wildes. I prefer to be called Wildes." _

_Someone in the crowd yelled in protest. "Sarah Wildes was hanged during the Witch Trials." Someone else, a female this time, stated, "Then you'd be my great great, add some more greats, grandmother!" _

_Vexter looked on in shock at Wildes. She didn't look to be old enough to be anyone's grandmother, much less this mid-age person. _

_Wildes shrugged. "I'll not deny that I was hanged. It was July nineteenth, sixteen ninety-two. By the way, what year is it now?" Someone was able to stammer out a, "Two thousand four,"_

_Wildes looked a bit more energized. "So," She said, "It's been over three hundred years since I last walked this earth." She said with wonder. Several of the people present backed up, and one turned and ran. _

_Wildes' wand, a spindly black thing, came to her hand and she waved it in the direction of the fleeing person, and muttered, "Avada Kedavra," There was a bright flash of green light, and the fleeing person was keeled over dead. _

"_Any others of you want to leave?" Wildes asked. No one did, and a few shook their heads. "Explain to us how you're here," One of them said._

"_Gladly," Began the witch. "Before they hanged me, I prepared a potion that would keep me from needing to breath. Apparently it worked, though it had some unseen side effects. From what I can gather, it kept me in a stasis over the years. They must have brought my body down here to bury." _

_Vexter stepped forward from his place in the back of the crowd, and kneeled. "I promise my service to you." Wildes looked particularly pleased. "The rest of you will kneel and promise the same," She commanded. Everyone present did so. _

"_Now, we must go to Salem and resurrect the Raven." _

"_Who is this person?" Vexter asked. Wildes looked at him appraisingly. "Since you promised your service first, you will be my second in command." She turned and pressed a brick in the wall of the building she had had her back to. Part of the wall slid aside to reveal stairs going down. _

_She went down, and the rest of them followed. It seemed they were in a very spacey tomb. "This is where I was buried," She told them. _

_Wildes jumped up on top of her coffin and sat cross-legged. She didn't seem to appear very evil. She must have been, though, to know of such an evil potion as the one she had brewed. Things that preserved life over its normal span were outlawed, though that didn't stop some people._

_And she must have been powerful as well. That potion had kept her alive over three hundred years. And she had muttered a killing curse. Most people had to yell to get it to work._

"_Raven was our leader during the Great Trials." She said. "We must resurrect her so that we can get our revenge on the descendants of those who murdered us!" _

"Hannah, are you alright?" Anna asked, hovering over Hannah. They were both working on some particularly hard potions homework, and Hannah hadn't moved for a while.

Hannah shook her head to clear it of her daydream. "I've got to go see the headmaster," She said. Anna shrugged as Hannah dazedly left the common room of house Gente. One of the boys in her year came to sit by her.

"You want to go to the dance with me?" He asked. "I don't even know you," Anna told him. The boy shrugged. "I'm Wallace Hodes, aka Wall. Now you do know me." Anna smirked.

"I'll go to the dance with you, then." Wall smiled.

-----------

Hannah passed the Transfiguration teacher in the hall, a Chinese wizard named Chang Ling, and asked, "Where is the headmaster's office?" He turned to her, smiling. "Up those stairs. He's the last room on your right." He told her.

Hannah muttered, "Thank you," And followed his instructions.

When she got to the headmaster's office she found him talking to himself. "We have a visitor," He said. His voice changed slightly. "I know we do." The other voice said, "I'll handle the talking."

"What do you want?" Coko asked with a smile. Hannah normally would have stuttered, but given the seriousness of her vision, was not amused by the crazy headmaster.

"I've had a vision," She told him. "Let's here it then," He said.

Hannah told him of the vision.

"Could you please check into it?" She asked. "Ringgold is where my parents live. Don't let anything happen to them." Coko smiled and nodded.

"Even though they're there right now, they likely won't stay there for long. They talked about going to Salem, did they not?" He asked. Hannah nodded.

"_Where is she buried?" Vexter asked. They were standing in the middle of an evil-looking forest. Most of the trees had slash marks across them, and there were no leaves on them, letting Vexter see the clouded sky. _

"_Somewhere in this forest," Wildes responded. "Do you want to split up?" Vexter asked. "No," Wildes said, "You probably wouldn't recognize her burial site if we found it." Vexter was a bit insulted, but held back his comments. _

"What is it?" The headmaster asked. Hannah shook her head. "Another vision." Coko nodded. "What happened?" He asked. "Vexter and Wildes were in a forest, looking for Raven's burial site." She responded. Coko nodded. "I see."

He stood. "Well," He said, "I'll check on it. Meanwhile, don't worry about it. Get yerself a partner for the dance." Hannah blushed and left the headmaster's office.

-----------

A few days later was the first visit to the goblin village in the mushroom forest. All years were aloud to come, regardless of whether or not they had permission or not. Coko was a bit lax when it came to the safety of the students.

Seth and Chanteau were sitting in the local bar, sipping on their drinks. While Seth was drinking a perfectly legal drink for his age, Chanteau had a cup of wine. The goblins in the village didn't care whether or not the students were of age or not. Seth and Chanteau were sitting alone, though the bar around them was full of people.

Madison walked into the bar, without Angelique, thankfully, and ordered a drink. He looked around, and spotted Seth and Chanteau.

"Off snogging, were you?" Chanteau asked, a bemused grin on her face. "I was not off snogging," Madison said, a perfectly bland look on his face. Chanteau smirked, thinking of the question she was going to ask Madison. She wasn't serious about it, but wanted to see the reaction. She had told Seth what she was going to ask, and he leaned forward to hear better.

"Do you want to dance with me at the dance?" Chanteau asked. "WHAT?!" Madison asked, jumping up, and causing people all around him to stare.

He paused and looked around at all the faces staring at him, then sat down, not embarrassed in the slightest. "That wasn't nice," He told Chanteau, eliciting big bunches of laughter from his two friends.

"Angelique would kill me if she knew you asked," Madison said. Chanteau, still recovering from her fit of laughter, shook her head. "She wouldn't kill you." "Just beat you up." Seth put in. "And she wouldn't aim low," Chanteau added, causing Seth to go into another fit of laughter, and Madison to smile dryly.

"Most certainly not," He said.


	9. Attack In Salem

Chapter Nine: Attack In Salem

Seth and Chanteau avoided Madison and Angelique on the dance floor. Angelique was steering Madison rather forcibly, and his two friends decided to spare Madison the embarrassment.

It was the last day before the holidays officially began, and the school semester was going to go out with a bang. It always did. Though Coko was seen as old and crotchety, he was very in tune with the social needs of the kids. Some of them suspected that Coko had drunken a very badly made aging potion. It had happened to some people recently.

The music stopped, and a multitude of different sized tables appeared. The dances were held on the Quidditch area, nowhere else being big enough to comfortably accommodate the entire student body.

Coko's voice boomed out over the area. "There will be a brief stoppage of dance music so that you can eat without worry of being trampled on, then it will come back on, and you can dance until you die, and we will be better off."

"AMEN TO THAT!" Madison, Seth, and a bunch of the house Gente members yelled. Angelique hugged Madison. "This is why I love you so much!" She squealed. Madison pried her off, a bit embarrassed, and she led him to a two-person table.

Seth and Chanteau were also at a table like that. "So… What are you doing over the holiday?" Chanteau asked.

"I'm staying here, with Madison." Seth responded. "Why?" Seth shrugged. "I like it better here. And my mother doesn't like me being home." Chanteau looked a bit concerned. "Why is that?" Seth shrugged again. "She thinks there's too many of us." He said, referring to the fact that he was the fifth born child in his family, not including his niece. "I'm sorry," Chanteau told him. Seth shrugged. "I'm used to it," He said.

After a pause, Seth asked, "And what are you doing over the break?" Chanteau rolled her eyes. "My parents are forcing me to come home, though I'd rather stay here. They said they wanted a 'family Christmas'." She explained. Then it dawned on her that she probably shouldn't say stuff like that around Seth.

She knew he didn't have a very good family life, but she had never thought on it. Seth would probably give a lot to have a family Christmas.

"It's okay," Seth said, "I don't like the lot of them very much anyway." Chanteau snickered nervously, and steered the conversation away from that topic.

"Why weren't you dancing?" Emily asked, after sitting down at the table the three friends them had agreed to sit at. Aibyoukai shrugged, and Marit said, "Werewolves aren't allowed to have social lives."

Emily snorted. "You've been thinking about the Madison and Seth incident, haven't you?"

"No," Marit began, "Well yes, but that's not what's angered me. I got some news from Melhane in the Underground. Apparently a group of us were killed during a rescue."

The Underground was an isolated community of werewolves whose purpose was to save as many werewolves as they could and bring them to the town to try and lead a normal life. Though Marit had never lived there, her parents being fine with her condition, she had visited, and took an immediate liking to Melhane, one of the elder werewolves.

"Why do you accept mail from her?" Aibyoukai asked. "She's my friend," Marit told her. "We know that," Aibyoukai explained, "But all the mail you get from her is so damn depressing." Marit shrugged. "It's just good to that I'm not the only one with troubles."

Then a great crashing sound boomed out, and the music stopped. There was complete silence except for the cries of pain coming from the center of the room.

A few of the giant chandeliers that had been hanging from the stalactites on the ceiling seemed to have fallen right into a bunch of tables. Marit looked over the commotion. "They can't have all survived that," She whispered.

Chanteau looked not over the crashed tables, but over the rest of the crowd. "Wait a minute!" She snapped. "Madison and Angelique were sitting in their!" She yelled, then sprung into a run to find her friend. Seth called out, "Wait!" but Chanteau wasn't listening.

She found Madison's telltale black dragon-skin boots sticking out from under a table that had been completely smashed by a chandelier. Tears forming in her eyes, she slowly began levitating some of the stuff off of her friend.

The teachers began forcing the students back to their houses. Some had to be removed forcibly, but others went solemnly.

Professor Wright, the head of House Gente, came up to Chanteau. "You're supposed to go to your house," He told her. Chanteau wiped the tears out of her eyes and nodded. "I know."

Professor Wright sighed, and started helping Chanteau levitate stuff off of Madison. Eventually they came to him.

He had several gashes across his back where the broken wood had stabbed into him, and a piece of glass was embedded in his thigh. Professor Wright wordlessly levitated him off of the ground and up to the Healer's Ward.

Under Madison was Angelique. Madison had seen the chandeliers fall, and had thrown himself over his girlfriend to keep her from being hurt. It had worked. Angelique stood and walked up to the Healer's Ward, trembling and sobbing the whole way.

Chanteau wiped her eyes and stopped sobbing. She knew Madison was going to be all right. But it didn't seem fair. He had been injured shortly before, by what Madison had never told her, and now again.

Chanteau knew that Madison's arm would never be right again. He had blacked out during a Quidditch match. A bludger had hit his injured arm, a hit Madison would normally have been able to shrug off, and he had blacked out from the pain. It would be like this until he died, Chanteau thought.

-----------

"You know what this means?" Coko asked of the two former aurors, and the still active one. Professor Rhodes had just retired from the demanding job a few years ago. Professor Cada, a man who was much older than he looked, had been retired from the job ever since he had gone over the age limit. And Davver, the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, was still one, assigned to keep Salem safe.

The three of them nodded. "The chandeliers couldn't have fallen except by means of dark magic," Coko stated, even though the three knew the information anyway.

"If he's still here, we'll find him," Professor Rhodes told the headmaster. "Good," Coko said, nodding. "I'll make sure the students are kept tightly under control until this mess is fixed. And make sure the wards on the entrance to the forest are fine."

The three men nodded, and set out to their task of making sure the school was safe.

-----------

"I guess the whole thing was settled, then. And how long was I unconscious?" Madison asked. "Two days," Dugger responded. Madison looked around, and was a bit surprised to find that Angelique wasn't sitting beside him.

Dugger sat down where Angelique normally would have. Seeing Madison's surprise, Dugger said, "They just let us out for the holidays, and your Angelique person was being forced to go home.

"How do you know?" Madison asked, surprised that Dugger would know this bit of information that even he didn't know. "I overheard her in the hallways," Dugger explained. Madison shrugged and winced. "How's about getting me out of here?" He asked of his friend. Dugger shrugged and helped his friend to limp to the Gente common room.

They were the only people there, strangely. A lot of people had gone home for the holidays. And Seth was likely out on the Quidditch field. Dugger set to brewing the same potion he had given Madison for his arm, and Madison fell back into his chair.

"So what was the whole incident about?" Madison asked. "A dark wizard wanted to cause some commotion. He did so pretty well, it seems. Killed seven people." Madison looked a bit surprised, though, considering his state, he shouldn't have been.

"Any from house Gente?" He asked. Dugger nodded, adding another ingredient to his potion. "Yeah, Erik Pitt. And that's all I know about the whole situation."

-----------

"And here's a pass to the Haunted Library," Professor Cada said, handing said pass over to Seth.

"Why are you giving this to me?" Seth asked with wonder. Cada sighed, and his shoulders drooped, showing his advanced age. "I won't lie to you." He told him. "Some girl in your house, a first year, had a vision of some Dark Wizard come back from the dead."

Cada took a moment to collect his thoughts. "We're on the cusp of a war, and we'll need all the help we can get." Seth nodded. "I'll do my best. And when do you think this war will start?" He asked.

Cada shrugged, pushing his chair back from his desk, and stood to stretch. "A while, and, if I'm right, not within this year." Seth nodded, and stood as well.

"Can I get you not to tell anyone of this?" Cada asked. Seth smirked as he walked to the door. "Most of it, anyway." Cada chuckled. "You know," He said, "I was in House Gente when I came here."

Seth slowly turned around. "You don't act like it." Cada chuckled again. "I've read too many dark books." Seth chuckled.

-----------

"_How do we resurrect her?" Vexter asked. _

_They were in the massive tomb of Raven's. The Dark Witch had been buried along with all of her tomes of evil magic, and Wildes was poring through one of them right now. She cast it aside, and picked up another._

"_One of these books will have the instructions in them." Vexter nodded. He looked around at the tomb. He didn't like the look of the place._

_There were human bones strewn about everywhere. Bloodstains marked almost everything near the tomb. The coffin lid in the center of the room was slightly ajar, but Vexter didn't dare look at it. _

"_Why are there so many bones and bloodstains in here?" He asked, shivering slightly. "Get used to it," Wildes told him. "And Raven was killed here." Vexter nodded._

-----------

Hannah snapped out of her vision. She, unlike Madison, had gone home for the holidays. She was very careful not to mention Madison's wounds; lest her parents call him home and she suffer her brother's wrath.

She sighed. Hannah disliked having visions so often. They were usually minor glimpses of things, and this was the first big one in a while.

She jotted all of it down on a piece of parchment, and sent it to Coko via her owl Bobo. (Madison had been the one to name it)


	10. Dark Tormentor

Chapter Ten: Dark Tormentor

"So what ye want to do?" Madison asked. Seth shrugged. "It's kind of boring around here," Seth commented, "What with our girls being gone." Madison nodded, then shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess," He said. "Even though I love Angel, it's good to have a break from her." Madison yawned. He and Seth were sleepy in a bored kind of way. It was all good, this break of theirs.

"So how are you and Chant doing?" Madison asked. Seth looked at him in a pleading sort of way. "I'm not so sure… After your two injuries, she's been a bit non-responsive." Madison smirked. "I'm sorry about nearly getting killed and me arm getting smashed." Seth chuckled. "All in all, I'm rather confused."

"Women can do that to you," Dugger commented, entering the room. "Amen to that," A seventh year sitting next to his girlfriend, commented. He was smacked by said girlfriend.

"Anyway," Dugger went on, "They're dueling down in the dueling hall, if either of you wants to." Madison looked down at his injured arm, then at his thigh. Both wounds still stung painfully. "I think I'll pass," he said. It was a true testament to his wounds that he wouldn't duel, a sport he enjoyed very much.

Seth stood up. "I will," He said. Before he leaved he turned to Madison. "Don't get to close to any of the girls. If Angelique finds out…" He left the threat hanging, and left, followed closely by Dugger. Madison snickered, as did Nereida Nary, the only other third year staying at Salem over the break. She moved over to talk to him.

-----------

Seth did remarkably well in the duels, besting some people up to two grades higher than him, but had to stop when a particularly good sixth year gave him a limp.

"Do you want to go to the forest?" Dugger asked. Seth shrugged. "Nothin' better to do." "There's always food," Dugger reminded him. "Yeah," Seth responded gruffly, "There's always that."

Dugger smirked. "What is it, Chanteau is gone, or you got beaten." Seth glared at him, and he shrugged.

When they got to the forest, Dugger said, "I've got some potion ingredients of a sinister nature to pursue, I'll be back shortly." Seth shrugged, and made his way towards a spring he and Madison had found one day.

They loved it in the forest. After a while the giant mushrooms dwindled, and there were miles and miles of caves. They would have liked to explore it all, but knew that it was too big.

The spring comprised of a small pool of water in a surrounding of pinkish crystals. The crystals formed a stairway up to a platform not far from the ceiling, and this is where Seth went.

Almost as soon as he got up there, something tackled into him from behind, sending them falling into the pool. He struggled to get out of the grasp of whatever it was, but the thing was too strong. Then he felt a sharp pain in his neck and everything faded from his sight…

Madison felt a sharp pain in his head, and saw a vision of Seth falling. He stood up, his wand flying to his hand. "I'll be back," He told the unsettled Nerieda. "I hope," he muttered to himself.

What could have happened? He wondered. Seth must be in the mushroom forest. But where? Most likely at their spring.

He headed off to go and try to find his friend.

Seth woke up just a little to the side of the small pool, soaking wet. "What happened?" He asked himself. 'You're one of us now,' a menacing voice told him. Seth immediately stood and drew his wand. "Who are you? Step where I can see you."

The dark voice chuckled. 'I'm you, your dark side at least. And you can't fight me.' Seth looked around, spooked almost out of his wits. "Where are you?" He asked desperately. The dark voice chuckled again.

'I am your dark side, all of the evils you have kept bottled up. You have no need to keep them anymore,' the voice explained. "I don't believe you," Seth said defiantly. The dark voice chuckled once more.

'I know your every thought, can remember your every memory.' Seth's mind worked quickly, trying to defeat his dark tormentor. "What's my birthday, then?" The dark voice chuckled, as if the question was too easy. Perhaps it was. "November seventh. You were born at two in the afternoon.' It was true.

Seth kept on trying defiantly. "What's my best friend's full name?" 'Madison Campbell Anbu Brooks. He's in love with a girl named Angelique McDonough. And you're in love with Chanteau Ronaduce. She's a French girl, a very rich one.'

Seth's dark tormentor let out a booming laugh. 'Oh yes, I know every aspect of you. Because I am you. Together, the two of us can become more powerful than any other witch or wizard there ever was.'

This appealed to Seth. He had always lusted after power, and now it was here in his grasp. There was no small voice inside him telling him this was bad, or not to do this. He nodded his head. "Ok, let's do it." The voice smirked. 'You don't have to talk out loud for me to hear you.'

Seth nodded. 'So what are we?' He asked mentally. 'We're a vampire,' The voice explained. Seth nodded again. It made sense. He reached up and touched the bit marks on his neck. 'What happened to he other one?' He asked his dark side. 'I disposed of him. He was unfit to serve my purposes.

The voice laughed when it sensed Seth's unease. 'Don't worry,' it told him, 'If you do as I say, there'll be no reason to dispose of you.' Seth laughed dryly. 'No worries then, aye?' The voice chuckled again, and Seth liked the sound of it. It sounded like him. And it was the first time the voice was not laughing at him.

Seth looked around the cavern. Everything was brighter, but not too bright as to hurt his sensitive eyes. 'How do I use my powers?' Seth asked. The voice chuckled again. 'Don't worry about them. I'll take care of it.'

'Your friend Madison is coming,' the voice told him. Seth nodded. 'I hope you won't want me to kill him,' Seth told his dark tormentor. It chuckled. 'Not yet, anyway. He could prove to be a valuable ally.' Seth nodded.

"Are you all right?" Madison asked as he rounded the corner. Seth chuckled and nodded. "I had a little trip," he explained, indicating his dripping wet clothing and the pool. Madison let out a burst of laughter.

"And I was thinking you'd… Never mind." He said. Seth smirked. "Let's go to our dorm. Dinner's gonna be soon, and Coko told me it would be really good. "Let's do that then." "Are you actually going to eat?" Seth asked. Madison shrugged.

As they walked to House Gente Seth talked with his dark tormentor. 'So I take it you won't be intruding with my speaking?' The voice chuckled. 'Not too much. If I want you to say something I'll tell you. Otherwise I'll leave it too you…' Seth smiled. "That's good to know."

"What is?" Madison asked absently. "Oh, nothing," Seth responded, cursing his lack of concentration. He would have to be more careful.

"_Dichonomus rictu dieko sindar neesum ectum!" Wildes ended her chant with a bang. Literally. _

_The witches and wizards who had been standing with her, lending her magical energy, were all thrown to the ground, and Wildes herself was thrown up into the air a good bit. She had finally done it, finished the magic that would raise Raven._

"_When will she arise, master?" Vexter asked. Wildes slumped against him, tired from the casting. "A week," She said, "Is the anniversary of Raven's death. It is then when she will rise." Vexter nodded, and hoisted the weakened witch over his shoulder to tale her to a safe place to rest._

Hannah sighed and wrote her latest vision down, and sent it to Coko. She would be glad to get back to Salem, where she could talk with the headmaster.


	11. Return and a Warning

Chapter Eleven: Return and a Warning

When Madison and Seth woke up one morning, simultaneously, they both remembered something. Seth smiled and chuckled to himself, while Madison hit himself on the forehead.

"What's wrong?" Dugger asked. Madison rolled over, groaned, and fell back to sleep. Seth looked over at Dugger pointedly, and said, "Today's the return feast." Dugger nodded in comprehension. "Oh…" There was a pause. "I see." Seth nodded, and went to change into his outfit.

Dugger was actually a bit troubled. He had a rare power called aura-sense. It allowed him to see the aura a person emanated, which helped him greatly when dealing with people. Just recently, Seth's aura had changed, subtly at first, but now was almost completely different.

Seth's aura had been a swirling mix of purple and gold, with spots of pink. This meant that he was mischievous, but meant well. Now the purple had darkened considerably, and the gold had faded away, and changed to a dull red color. Flecks of gold still remained. Dugger didn't know exactly what that meant, and the pink had diminished a good bit.

He could guess, though. Red meant reckless, and black was evil. While the gold hadn't completely turned to black, it was getting close.

Just to reassure himself, Dugger turned and checked on Madison's aura. It hadn't changed from its purple-gold combination, except for flecks of pink and gray. Gray usually meant sadness or holding back a secret, and pink meant love. There was a surprisingly small amount of pink, Dugger thought.

While Seth was changing, the vampire in him spoke. 'Seth, that one mage can sense auras. If we don't do something soon, he'll find out that we're a vampire.' Seth nearly panicked. "What do we do?" He asked, then realized he had said it out loud.

His dark tormentor chuckled. 'I'm going to leave you for a while.' Seth nodded. 'When will you be back?' 'Two full moons from now. Then we will start our take over of the school.' Seth was startled. 'Isn't that a bit ambitious?' He asked. No answer came. Seth sighed and went back into the boy's dorm.

He chuckled and pulled out his wand. Madison was still sleeping. He aimed his wand, and said, "Tantellegra!" The spell hit Madison's dragonskin boots, and reflected to hit Dugger. He chuckled again. Maybe things could get back to normal.

Dugger, though annoyed at being hit with the spell, was glad and a bit startled to see that Seth's aura had gone back to normal. He muttered the counter jinx, then glared at Seth, considering what spell to use.

"I DON'T WANNA GO!" Madison yelled. Seth chuckled and yanked on Madison's leg, bringing him a bit more out from under the bed. Madison scrambled back under his bed.

Seth let go of his leg and asked, "Why don't you want to go?" Madison was now fully under the bed, and had turned around to face in Seth's direction. "Why do you think?" Madison asked dryly. Seth chuckled. "What do you think Angelique will do if you don't come?"

Madison yelped and shot out from under the bed. He stood up and casually brushed himself off. "I'm ready to go now," he said. Seth chuckled. "I know you are." Madison eyed him doubtfully. "I don't think ye do." Seth shrugged. "I've got my eye on you!" Madison told him. "Well good.

When they got to the feast room, all of the people coming back from away were already there. Madison hid behind Seth when he saw Angelique scanning the incoming crowd for him. Seth smirked, and let him.

When he got to Angelique, she asked anxiously, "Where is Madison?" Seth smiled and pointed over his shoulder with his thumb. He dodged to the side as Angelique jumped, and crashed with Madison to the floor. Seth turned away, smiling to himself, and went to find Chanteau.

Her reaction to him was quite a bit less subdued than Angelique's had been to Madison. Instead of barreling him to the ground, she settled for a hug. Albeit one that had Seth sputtering for air, but at least he wasn't on the ground as well.

Coko clapped his hands from the front of the room, and everyone found that they couldn't talk. Seth experimented around with this, as Chanteau had let him go. He had fun saying all kinds of things. He even cussed out his least favorite teacher, although no one could hear.

"Seth, no matter how many times you try, you won't be able to talk." Coko told him. Seth explained that he was just having fun, then realized he couldn't be heard, and smirked. "Oh, and Miss Angelique, could you please get off of Madison?" Seth couldn't see Angelique or Madison but could just imagine the expression on each of their faces.

"Now, before we begin, I would like to tell you something." Coko said. Everyone turned to him, and listened. "There have been some dangerous things going on lately, and the world has grown much more dangerous recently." Seth kept his face decidedly attentive, not betraying his dark tormentor.

"While I'm sure none of you will be harmed," Coko continued, "I would like to tell you to be cautious." He snapped his fingers. "Now you can eat." He said dryly. "Thank you," Seth said, the first to realize the silence spell was gone. "You're welcome."

Seth and Chanteau quickly sat down next to each other at their house table. They both smirked when they saw Madison and Angelique. Madison had a faint exasperated smile. Angelique was clinging to his arm, smiling contentedly.

When they got to the table, Angelique left Madison and went to sit with some friends from another house. All of them stared after her in amazement. "Well." Madison and Seth said. "That was unexpected," Chanteau said. "You can say that again…" Madison muttered.

"That was unexpected." Chanteau said again. Madison sighed exasperatedly. "What was unexpected?" Seth asked. Chanteau looked at him. "If you didn't know, why did you stare like we did?" Seth shrugged. "So that I wouldn't look like I was out of place." Madison smirked. "We're all out of place. Especially me."

"So what was unexpected?" Seth asked again. "Angelique leaving Madison after only seeing him for a few minutes." Seth nodded in comprehension, and Madison nodded in agreeance. "Uh huh." He said, still staring off after Angelique.

"What do you think of that warning Coko gave us?" Chanteau asked, trying to draw Madison's attention back to her. "I didn't hear it." Madison said dryly. Seth went into a fit of laughing, and Chanteau couldn't suppress a chuckle. "Oh?" She asked. Madison ignored this.

"So what was the warning?" He asked. Chanteau's brow furrowed. "Something about the world growing more dangerous lately." Madison nodded knowingly. "My sister has been having visions lately, I'll ask her if this has anything to do with it." Chanteau nodded. "And you Seth?"

"Seth?" She asked again, peering around. Seth was gone, and Madison was smirking. What would he be smirking about? Chanteau sighed in resignation. This could only mean one thing. "BOO!" Someone from behind her yelled. Without turning around she slammed her elbow into Seth's stomach. Madison fell off of his chair, laughing.

Seth stood up, hands on his stomach. "That wasn't very nice!" He told her. Chanteau shrugged, with a mock scowl on her face. "But befitting of your crimes. Don't you agree, Madison?" She didn't receive an answer, as Madison was rolling around on the ground in laughter.

Maybe it would get back to normal.


	12. Werewolf and the Vampire

Chapter Twelve: Werewolf and the Vampire

The next two months passed uneventfully, and it was nearing time for exams. Chanteau was hunched over at a table, and Dugger was sitting across from her. Chanteau had reported that Angelique was up studying in the girl's dorm. Madison and Seth, however, were not studying, as was their custom. They were playing chess.

Just as Seth had won their game, Chanteau asked, "I don't suppose either of you is going to study?" Madison and Seth shared a knowing look, then turned to her as if the idea was totally stupid, and shook their heads. "Don't need to," Seth explained.

"Hey Dugger, you don't need to study either," Seth said. "Yeah, come play a game of chess with us." Dugger looked over at them, then back down to his notes, then back to the pair again. "Alright…" He agreed. He started playing Seth, and Madison came to take his vacated seat.

"I'm kind of confused," Madison admitted. "About what?" Chanteau asked. Madison regarded the entrance to the girl's dorm dubiously. "The first thing I expected Angelique to do was come and make me study with her." Chanteau nodded knowingly. "She wants to impress you."

Madison looked flabbergasted. "Impress me!?" He asked loudly. Chanteau nodded, looking back down to her notes. "By the way she's studying, she's going to tie with Dugger for the top scores."

Madison now eyed Dugger dubiously. "I don't think it can be done." Chanteau sighed exasperatedly, "You could if you tried." Madison nodded, smiling, with a blank look on his face. "I can see it… BUT WAIT! I don't try." He said confusedly. Chanteau nodded. "And that's too bad." She said dryly. "Just think what you could do if you did tried."

"Out of my seat," Dugger commanded irritably. Madison followed the command, though he picked the seat up and ran away with it. "Done with your game already?" Chanteau asked. Dugger nodded. "Seth's not much of a challenge to me," He explained. Chanteau laughed, and got back to studying as Dugger went off in search of Madison and his chair.

"It's the one chair to rule them all, doo-dah, doo-dah, it's the one chair to rule them all, oh doo-dah-day!" Madison sang, bouncing around the room, avoiding all of the spells Dugger sent his way. Eventually he came back to the table and deposited the chair, then bounced off over a couch, thus avoiding the hex Dugger had sent that way. Madison peered over the couch, and got hit by the newest spell Dugger had sent that way.

"You can anticipate actions too well," Chanteau complimented him, watching in amusement as Madison started to dance. It was a mix between the mocarina and hoola. "Nice dance choice," She complemented as well. Dugger kept quiet. The reason he was able to anticipate Madison moving up was due to his aura sense ability. But they didn't need to know that.

Later that evening, Madison caught his sister on the way back from the library and pulled her into a secret passage. He and Seth had combed the castle for them back in their first year, and thought they had most of them.

"Now, I know you're having visions, so don't try to lie to me," was the first thing Madison said to his sister. She was remarkably calm for having someone violently pull her into a dark place. Hannah figured out by the tone of voice that it was her brother. "How did you find out?" Hannah asked.

Madison chuckled. "Seth and I routinely check mail going in and out of the school." "Wow," Hannah said. "What?" Asked Madison. "It's amazing that you can get around school security so much." Madison wore an abashed smile. "I trust ye won't report me to Coko?" Hannah nodded.

"Tell me of these visions," Madison said as he sat down on the floor. Hannah sat down as well, and told Madison what had happened in all of her strange visions.

When she was done, Madison asked, "So this was what Coko was eluding to at the return feast?" Hannah nodded.

"Well," Madison said, standing up. "This conversation never took place." "What conversation?" Hannah asked, playing her part perfectly. "I don't know. And what are we doing in this passageway?" Madison continued his part. "No clue Hannah said dryly, stepping out first.

When she turned around to see if Madison was coming, he was gone. She sighed. Maybe she shouldn't have told her brother. The first thing Madison would do was tell Seth and Chanteau. She didn't know if he would tell Angelique.

Hannah had actually gotten to know Angelique pretty well over the year. Where her first impression of the girl had been that she was a bit of an idiot who was obsessed with Madison, she had learned that Angelique was a far deeper person than that.

Angelique's parents had died during her first year at Salem, and Madison was helping her to deal with that. Hannah didn't know how. Madison had never been emotional, and come to think of it, Hannah had never seen him cry. Only get angry. Campbell, the two student's father, frequently got into arguments with Madison, and they almost always ended with yelling. And it happened almost every day they were at home together.

Racking pain shot through her head, and she fell to the ground. "Ahhh!" She yelled, curling into a ball with the intense pain. Her hands went to her head, and everything seem to grow dark… Before everything faded out she heard Madison calling out to her…

_Wildes stood at the front of the dark warehouse, on top of a large bow. It was raining this night, and some of the water came through the broken windows of the building. None of the lights in the warehouse worked. Most of the light was supplied by a street lamp outside, and by the occasional flash of lighting. _

_Around a hundred wizards and witches were assembled here tonight. Their appearances varied._

_Vexter was lounging comfortably in a corner. He knew exactly what was going to happen. Wildes descendant was standing next to her. Most of the others moved restlessly, waiting for something to happen. One of them stepped up._

"_Show us this 'Raven' you tell us about. If she has indeed risen, let her come forth." Many in the crowd made noises of in agreeance to this statement. In truth, there had been several acts of insubordination against Wildes and her cause. They had all been snuffed out quickly, however. Her followers had trouble believing her, that she had come back from the dead. She smirked. Tonight all of their doubts would be assuaged. _

_A rasping noise came up from behind Wildes. There was complete silence except for the storm raging outside. Wildes stepped to the side and let the figure come forth. The rasping noise seemed to come from the person's movements. _

_When the person had arrived at the spot where Wildes had been standing, it lifted the hood of it's cloak. Several people gasped, and a few shuddered. _

_The face was skeletal, the skin having long ago decayed, but a few bandages were wrapped around the person's face. Now that it was in a direct spot of light, they could see that its heavy robes were bloodstained severely. _

_It smirked. It was strange for the crowd to see this, as the thing had no skin or lips to stretch in a smile, but only bone. "Is this the army you have assembled for me?" It asked in a rasping voice, yet one that was decidedly feminine. "Yes, Raven," Wildes said, stepping forwards. _

_Raven turned to her, looking her up and down. "It has been over three hundred years, yet you looked to me the same." Raven swept her skeletal arm to indicate her decayed look. "I cannot say the same for me." She looked out over the crowd again. "We'll need some more." She said._

_Wildes nodded, and pointed to Vexter. "He is already working on that." Then, seeing the glare Raven sent the man's way, added, "He's trustworthy." Raven sniffed. "I'll see to that myself." _

_Raven sniffed the air, though she couldn't be smelling something, her nostrils long gone. "We're being watched," She whispered, then drew her bone wand and whispered a spell to keep the area safe from magical surveillance. _

Hannah awoke in a conjured bed in the headmaster's office. She looked around shakily, her vision fast returning to her. Coko was there, sitting at his desk. Madison was relaxed in a squishy beanbag chair, and the Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professor Cada, was there as well, pacing.

When he had seen Hannah had recovered, Coko smiled at her. "Are you feeling alright?" He asked. Hannah nodded, sat up, and checked her watch. It was nearing midnight.

"I would like you to tell us all that occurred in your latest vision," Coko said pleasantly. Cada had stopped pacing, but Madison had not moved from his reclining position, except for his gray eyes.

When Hannah had fully told her tale, Cada turned to Coko. "Do you know who this person is?" Coko nodded and sighed. "Sadly yes. I know almost everything there is to know about the Salem witch trials." "Do you know how powerful this witch is?" Coko shook his head. "Please fill me in."

Cada nodded. "I'm sure you kept up with the goings on in Britain." Coko nodded, and quickly made a connection. "Are you saying she's as powerful as Voldemort?" Cada shuddered at the name slightly. "Maybe even more so." Coko paled, but recovered quickly.

"Who's Voldemort?" Madison asked. Coko turned his head to the young wizard. "Voldemort is the Heir of Slytherin, and the second most powerful mage in the world." Madison nodded. He knew who Slytherin was. Coko chuckled. "Third most powerful," He corrected himself.

Cada's head snapped to the side and everything was still. "What is it, Lynn?" Coko asked, referring to the professor by his first name. "A werewolf in the school." Coko stood up quickly. "What?" He asked. "Young Marit didn't make it out of the school tonight?"

"No," Cada said, "She must not have. Wait! The werewolf left the building." Coko nodded. "Can you handle it?" He asked. Cada nodded, and left the room, his dark robes whirling. Coko turned to Hannah.

"Now Hannah, I want you to keep Marit's being a werewolf to yourself. They're normal people like everyone else." Coko said soothingly. Werewolves were tolerated better in America than anywhere else, but that wasn't saying much. Hannah smiled faintly. "My cousin's a werewolf. I won't tell anyone." Coko smiled and then turned to Madison.

Or more accurately, the abandoned beanbag Madison had been sitting in. Coko shook his head, and turned back to Hannah. "Don't go looking after your brother, no matter what. Now get back to your house," He commanded. Hannah obeyed.

Madison was the first to come to Emily and Aibyoukai. He wasn't sure whether or not they were alive. Neither seemed to be breathing, and both had severe wounds. What puzzled Madison was that they did not look like the bites from a werewolf, but more like five neat punctures. Blood was all over the corridor. Then he looked up into the darkness of the mushroom cave.

A trail of blood led into it, and into the darkness. There was a magical shield covering the entrance that wouldn't let anyone in or out, but whatever it was had done it. Madison knew a secret passage around this, and was considering using it when he heard some coming from behind him. He went into the secret passage, and into the darkness of the mushroom cave, leaving the bodies behind.

As soon as he got far enough from the entrance, he whispered, "Lumos," and then began to follow the trail of blood. Eventually he came to where the blood trail stopped. He cast the light of his wand around, then nodded to himself.

Madison closed his eyes, not too much of a wise thing to do in his current situation, and drew his wand. Concentrating very hard, he formed the image of a sword in his mind, only a sword, then opened his eyes and waved his wand. And there, on the ground was the sword he had pictured.

He was immensely glad that this had worked. He didn't wand to have to go up against a werewolf unarmed. And besides that, it was good to know he could conjure something. Though he felt severely drained from doing it, he had been able to do that. Conjuring was a form of transfiguration, and very hard to do. This he had worked at a long time, though he had never pulled it off.

He picked up the sword and switched his wand over to his left hand. The sword was into a big, clumsy sword, but a shorter one that could be moved quickly.

Madison heard a growl from behind him and turned, swiping with the sword, as the werewolf pounced. The sword swipe barely nicked the creature's stomach, but that was enough to send the werewolf back a few steps.

He held the sword up, pointing it at the creature's chest. It eyed the sword warily, and then Madison thought of something. He waved his wand at the sword, and it brightened, the metal now reflecting more of the light. The werewolf backed up a bit, and Madison smirked. He had transfigured the sword into solid silver. Maybe this would make up for Madison's fatigue, a result of his casting two advanced spells so close together. He felt like he had just run several miles, except no hard breathing.

Madison watched the werewolf's eyes. They were moving, and changing, and the creature seemed to be alternating from wanting to attack him and wanting to leave him alone. Marit verses the wolf, Madison knew.

He was a shade wrong, however. It was Marit and the Wolf against some other compulsion.

The werewolf let out a howl, and jumped at Madison. He hastened to get out of the way, and brought the sword in front of him and the creature. It jumped back, yelping, then growled, and jumped again. Madison scored a greater blow this time, stabbing into the werewolf's thigh, but received a scratch across the shoulder.

This time when the werewolf backed up, it sniffed the air, then limped away. Madison peered around for something, anything that would make the werewolf back down, when it hit him. Literally.

The two of them slammed to the ground, breaking two of Madison's fingers. Thank goodness my wand is ok, Madison thought as the thing got off him. He stood up, switching his wand to his right hand, and looked at what the thing was. He was stunned.

It was Seth, beyond a shadow of a doubt, but a different Seth. His hair had darkened slightly, and grown quite a bit longer. Fangs protruded out of his mouth a bit, and his lips were bloodstained. His hands were now claws. And the eyes were the most haunting thing about them. They retained the structure of Seth's, but the colored part was black, and the pupils were glowing red.

"Seth?" He asked tentatively. Seth laughed, and this was different as well. There was no warmth to that laugh. It was full of malice and contempt. "You could say that," He said. "But now I am much more than just Seth."

Madison's eyes narrowed. "You're a vampire," he stated. Seth clapped his hands together. "Good, Madison." Madison started circling around Seth, and Seth followed suit. Madison smirked inwardly. This would get him closer to his sword.

"You've got a lot to answer for," Madison told him. Seth smirked, showing off his prominent fangs. "I'll never have to answer for them. And besides, they aren't dead." Madison nodded, still circling. He bent down quickly to get his sword, and jumped at Seth, attacking him.

Seth caught the blow with a hand, and punched out with his other. The claws raked Madison's chest, and he slammed up against a boulder. His head swam with the pain, and he had to struggle to not faint.

He shook his head to clear it of the pain, and jumped at Seth again. Seth again caught the sword, but Madison kicked out as well. Seth stumbled back, but took the sword with him as well. "Why do we have to fight?" He asked as Madison drew his wand. Madison smirked.

"You're a vampire. Everything you do now is for the cause of evil. I'm going to take you to the headmaster-" Seth cut him off with a high-pitched laugh. "Do you think you can take me to the headmaster? Well you're mistaken, you aren't taking me anywhere." With this he pounced, dealing Madison two vicious blows to his ribs. Many of them cracked, and Madison could feel the blood.

He was knocked to his back, and he started to crawl backwards as Seth casually walked towards him. "You could join me," Seth told him. "Being a vampire gives you powers you can't imagine! Think of the things you and I could do as vampires!"

The offer sorely tempted Madison. He stopped his scrambling. Why not? He asked himself. So much power could be his… And he could never die! Just think of that! Then he shook his head. He couldn't live with that. His friends wouldn't accept him anymore, or his family, or Angelique…

Seth chuckled when he saw Madison shake his head. "You don't have much of a choice," He said, looking out past Madison. Madison turned his head, and saw the vast chasm just behind him through his ever-dimming vision. He turned back to Seth and raised his wand.

At that moment there came a loud howling noise, and Seth turned around, a genuinely scared look on his face. The werewolf barreled into him, and they both flew out over the chasm. Then there was a great cracking sound.

Madison had no time to grieve, considering his condition. Breathing was coming harder to him, and his vision was almost gone. He let go, and the dull light of the cavern faded away…


	13. Hope

Chapter Thirteen: Hope

'_Come on, Madison, you're almost here…" someone was saying. Madison twisted and turned, trying to get out of his bindings. All around was darkness, but the light was getting brighter._

'_I'm coming!" He tried to yell, but it came out as more of a whisper. He struggled some more, and his struggling intensified when the light started to fade away. "Wait…" He called desperately. "I'm coming…" He could barely hear his own voice, and knew that they couldn't either. _

_When the light was about to leave completely, he relaxed and his struggles stopped. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad on the other side, he thought. No more pain, or suffering. Yes, he thought, smiling to himself, it would be good to be there._

_Then the darkness lit up with a pink light, and a soothing voice said, "Madison you've got to hold on, we need you back here." Madison started struggling again, but still not as hard as he had at first. "Angelique?" He asked hopefully. "Please stay…" He whispered. The pink light brightened a tiny bit, and Madison found it much easier to stay._

"He'll be alright," Healer Josephine announced to the relief of all present. Dugger was their, sitting calmly in a reclining chair. Chanteau had been pacing back and forth, the remnants of tears still on her face. The headmaster was there, as was Cada. Hannah had been ordered to stay in her house, or she would have come as well.

And Angelique. She was standing over Madison, her hands on his head, her eyes closed, in the trance required to bring a mind-link between two people. Josephine said it was the best way to keep Madison alive for the moment, until she could use some more powerful healing. A mind link could only be used between two people with a great bond, and Angelique had been the only one available who could have done it. Now that Seth was dead.

Seth's death was the cause of Chanteau's tears. How she had hated it when, after hearing that her two best friends had gone missing into the mushroom forest, Cada had come back into the school, with Madison's bloodied body floating beside him, and Seth's nowhere in sight. Then she had heard that Seth was a vampire.

How it must feel for Madison, she thought. Then she realized that Madison wasn't able to think at all, and that he might never be able to again. She cried even more at this, off in her bed. Then, wiping the tears away, she had come up to the Healer's Ward.

And off in the far bed of the Healer's ward, not known to anyone but Cada and Coko, was Marit. She had fallen onto a jut of flat rock not far from the top of the chasm, but Seth had been sent even farther. Not all that far, though. About thirty feet down he had been skewered by a stalagmite.

She had been seriously wounded by Madison and his sword. She would bear those scars for the rest of her life. But what bothered her was that she had killed someone. Even though Seth had been a creature of evil, she had never killed anyone before. This had been her first.

'I don't blame you,'A voice inside her head told her. She instinctively knew that it was from inside her head, and didn't bother to look around. 'Who are you?' She asked with her thoughts.

'I am Hope,' the voice told her. The voice was so fulfilling to listen to, its tones full of warmth and happiness. She thought the voice sounded strangely familiar… And then she placed it. That voice couldn't belong to anyone else.

'Are you- I mean were you, Seth?' She asked. 'I was,' the voice told her sounding pleased that she had figured out who he had been so quickly. 'I killed you,' Marit stated dumbly, not believing that Seth could still be here. 'I know. And I'm glad you did.' Marit nodded to herself.

'Hope, why are you still here?' She asked of the spirit. 'Madison and I made a magical bond that our spirits would leave this plane at the same time. I'm waiting for him.' Marit nodded in comprehension. 'So that's why you aren't like a normal ghost?' She asked. 'Right,' Hope responded, confirming her thoughts. At this time, their internal conversation was interrupted.

"You might need to break the mind-bond before Angelique goes insane," Josephine commented. Coko nodded, and went over to the girl, shaking her softly out of her meditative state. "Will he be alright?" She asked Coko anxiously. He nodded and spoke soothingly. "You need to get some rest. A mind link can take a lot out of a person. I'm amazed that you held it as long as you did."

"He needed me," She explained, too tired to look pleased with herself. Coko gestured at the bed just next to Madison's. "You can sleep here, if you want." Angelique nodded, took one last look at Madison, then crawled into the bed next to his.

Coko cleared his throat. "I need to have a talk with Madison. Alone." All of the younger people complied, as did Cada. However, Josephine was totally against it. "You can't talk to him yet!" She nearly yelled, "He's not fully recovered." Coko sighed and nodded. "I know. But he'll make it." Josephine looked as if she would keep arguing, but bit her lip and left.

Coko drew his wand and pointed it at Madison's sleeping form. "Enervate," He said. Madison's eyes snapped open, first going to Coko, but then to the back of his head. Coko looked confused, and had his wand pointing at Madison in case anything happened.

After a short while, his eyes came back around. "What happened after I blacked out?" he asked, in a calm, detached, and unemotional voice. This bothered Coko slightly, but he answered the question. "Professor Cada found you and was able to bring you back." Madison nodded, and peered around the room.

"What's Marit doing here?" He asked, still keeping his voice quiet and unemotional. "She seemed to have fallen onto a platform jutting out of the chasm wall not far down," Coko explained. "Seth, however," He said, trying to incite some emotion, "fell down and was impaled upon a stalagmite."

Coko watched Madison's reaction carefully, looking for any hint of emotion. None came. "I know," The young wizard told Coko. Coko was a bit taken aback. "How?" He asked. Madison waved the question away, and asked one of his own. "Is there going to be a funeral?"

Coko shrugged. "That brings me to the second thing. Most of his family was killed by some of Raven's followers tonight." Madison accepted the news nonchalantly. Coko continued, growing ever more worried about Madison's attitude. "So whether or not we recover his body and have a funeral is up to you and Chanteau."

Madison shook his head. "Hope says the body should stay there." Coko looked a bit confused. "Who is Hope?" He asked. "Seth's good spirit." Coko nodded. "And can he talk to me?" He asked. Madison shook his head. "Only to people he was close to. Along with Marit there, since she was the one who killed him." The Headmaster asked another question. "Why is he still here?" Madison replied, "Me and him made a magical pact that our spirits won't leave earth without each other." The headmaster nodded.

"How's your arm?" Coko asked, getting out of his chair and going over to a cabinet. "It's okay," Madison replied. "Still can't do much of anything with it. Luckily for me it was my bad arm." Coko nodded, and came away from the cabinet, holding a potion for better sleep.

"What is the extent of my injury?" Madison asked. The headmaster sighed. "Six broken ribs, quite a bit of blood loss, and a punctured lung." Madison nodded, but Coko wasn't finished. "And a bit of emotion."

Madison's glare snapped straight up to the headmaster. "Don't annoy me, old man. That's one emotion I have left." He told him. "I'm not taking your potion. I need to think." Coko nodded wearily and moved back to the cabinet. "About what?" He asked.

He could feel Madison's glare boring into his back. "My plan of action." When Coko turned around, Madison's eyes were rolled back into his head, talking with Hope. The spirit's name brought a smile to the Headmaster's lips. There would always be hope.


	14. Life Goes Ever On

Chapter Fourteen: Life Goes Ever On

Breakfast the next morning was a whole lot more silent than it had ever been. Especially at the tables of house Alo and Gente. Both had lost members that night. Other than this, several attacks had been made on families. Hannah had asked if her family had been attacked, and they had not. Thankfully they had sent her a letter that very morning.

The crowd around the tables had dispersed as well. Several people decided to stay in their dorms, or similar things. The Headmaster, Caelyn Coko, stood from his place at the staff table and cleared his throat. All of the scant whispering that had been going on ceased.

"As you all know, our country has recently fallen on hard times. Some in the ministry would think it inappropriate to disclose this information to you, but I've never given a damn what they think," He said, trying to bring a little levity to the situation. It didn't work.

"A witch from back in the Salem Witch Trials has been resurrected by some form of necromantic magic. She was the one behind all these attacks. Though their center of activity remains around Salem, they have agents all up and down the east coast. Do not be frightened. I assure you that you will be well protected. But there are to be no forays into the mushroom forest anymore."

He was interrupted at this point when the doors on the left side of the door slammed open, and a strange person walked in. He seemed to be student age. He had blond hair, which was worn loosely over his shoulder. His clothes were black, with a black cape, and black dragonskin boots and gloves. His face was gaunt, but not pale, and he had an intensely tired look about his face. It took a little while for everyone to realize whom it was. It was Madison.

Madison strode by the staff table on his way to the house Gente table. "Where have you been, Madison?" The headmaster asked. "Reading, old man." There came several gasps at this. Madison had called Coko 'old man' before, but that had always been with a joking tone. Now it was just flat and unemotional.

"Where?" Coko asked, his own tone losing a bit of its good feeling. "The Haunted Library." Coko's brow furrowed. "Who gave you the pass?" He asked. Madison stopped walking, and smirked at the headmaster. "No one did?" Most of the teachers gasped at this. "How did you get past the spirits?" Professor Rhodes asked, him knowing the most about the ghosts.

"I had Hope," He said mysteriously. Coko, Marit, and Chanteau (Who Hope had talked to the other night) were the only ones who understood this. When Madison turned to go sit down, Coko said, "You're breaking a school rule by wearing that outfit." Madison turned, and flourished his wand. "Same outfit," He said. Coko shrugged, surrendering the point.

Several at the staff table sighed as everyone went back to eating, albeit quieter than they had been. Most of them had seen how stubborn Madison could be, and it seemed this would be increasing dramatically.

"Madison?" Someone called softly through the library. It was dark, and most students were in bed, though a few people were still reading by the light of the candles. "Over here," an answering voice said softly, so softly that she barely heard it. Angelique moved tentatively over until she found the owner of the voice.

Madison was reclined on a comfortable looking squishy chair, reading a very old book with a red stain across the front. Angelique didn't notice this in her agitation. Madison hadn't looked up from the book when she had arrived, and was seemingly oblivious to her presence. "Madison," she said tentatively, "Can we talk?"

Madison set the book down on the table just to the side of his chair and nodded. This was so unlike him, she thought, not to have that smile on his face. "Certainly," he said, and Angelique thought she saw a faint glimpse of his old smile playing on his lips. Or so she hoped.

"Madison," Angelique began, "I still love you, and I was hoping that we could still be friends," She said slowly, hoping that Madison would not get mad. He had changed so much lately. Madison registered this information for a moment, chuckled, and reached out and grabbed Angelique's arm, pulling her down to sit on his lap.

"You said you still loved me?" He asked, a smile on his face. "Yes," She said slowly, a bit confused, not wanting to get her hopes up. "Then nothing has changed," He told her, and kissed the top of her head.

Angelique smiled, very pleased with how all of this had turned out. She had known that Seth's death would have a great impact on Madison, but she had never expected it would get between them. Until she saw the way Madison had treated her that day. Not particularly badly, just like everyone else. And he treated everyone indifferently that day, not like he usually did. Maybe she could get the old Madison back.

"Now it's time for this year to come to a close," Headmaster Caelyn Coko told them at the end of the year feast. Instead of being decorated colorfully, like it usually was, the room was draped with dark colors, blacks and grays. Madison had changed back into his normal outfit, minus the hat. Everyone was glad to see a bit of the old Madison return.

He was still in his irritated mood, and looked gaunter than ever. His cheekbones jutted out, and the black circles under his eyes were darker.

"I would like to be able to say that we had a good year this year," Coko continued, "But that would be lying." He paused for a moment. "We've lost many a good student this year. Let's toast to everyone who has died." Everyone raised their glasses, then moved them to their lips. "Now, try and enjoy your feast," Coko said solemnly, sitting down.

Some people did talk, but the noise was much more subdued than it had been just a year ago. Then a loud voice shrieked, "HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE YOU'VE HAD A FULL MEAL!" Whoever it was who was being yelled at gave a meek reply. "SEVERAL WEEKS! NOW LISTEN TO ME, YOUNG MAN! YOU WILL EAT!"

Everyone went into fits of laughter at this, once they had realized whom it was that was being yelled at. Coko cleared his throat, smirking. "Angelique, your concern for Madison's well-being is commendable, but please keep it down a bit." Coko said, amused.

"You heard him!" Angelique said to Coko. Coko chuckled. "I actually only heard you, but please continue." Angelique did, gladly pouncing at any chance of getting Madison's health back to normal. "And earlier he told me he hadn't slept in five days!" Coko's smile wore off at this.

"First thing I want to do," Coko said, "is to commend you on your performance on your exams even with your lack of sleep." Coko cleared his throat here. "And the second is that you are to do exactly as Miss Angelique say regarding your sleeping and eating habits,"

Madison seemed to have regained some of his composure. In a dry voice, he said, "Why do I feel as if I'm being ganged up on?" Angelique saved the headmaster the need to answer. "Because we're right this time." Madison shrugged the point off, and began to eat.

Everyone was rolling around in laughter, and it was amazing how well Madison was ignoring this, eating as if everything was normal.

Perhaps, for the first time in a long time, everything was.

Chanteau sighed and looked out the window of her parents' mansion. It was raining today, reflecting her mood. Her parents knew nothing of this, however. She hadn't told them of her love of Seth, or that he had died. For all they knew, life went on as normal.

Chanteau had finally gotten over Seth's death that night at the feast, when Madison had started eating again. She had realized that there was no point to grieving overly much. Hope seemed to have left, however. She shook her head, a forlorn smile on her face. She would be fine.

What she was thinking right now was how lucky Angelique was. It didn't seem fair to Chanteau. But there was nothing she could do about this. "Life goes ever on…" She whispered.

She sighed, and moved to her trunk to unpack. When she opened it, she saw something she did not expect. There was a note.

_There's always Hope._

Chanteau smiled. Madison's letter had already made her feel better. She finished packing, then picked up her phone and called Madison.

"Thanks," She told him, her gratitude clearly evident in her voice. "For what?" Madison asked, sounding confused. "The note." Madison sounded even more confused, but honesty rang clear in his tone. "Note? I didn't give you any note?"

---

A little note from me. This is not the end. I plan to do quite a bit more with this.


	15. Werewolf Underground

Chapter Fifteen: The Werewolf Underground

"Do you have all your stuff?" Marit's parents called to her, though she could barely hear them through the din of the airport. "Yes!" She yelled back to them, answering that same question for the sixth time in several minutes. She hurried through the airport terminal and into the plane. She quickly found her seat, and waited to arrive in Canada, and from there quickly travel to the Werewolf Underground.

Her parents could easily afford to send her on trips like this. Her dad worked for the ministry in a high-paying job, and could have bought a yacht out of pocket money. Marit snickered as she thought of that particular phrase Emily had coined. Then she remembered that she would never hear Emily's voice again.

She sighed. Marit still blamed herself somewhat for her friends' deaths. They had been trying to get out of the castle, and had died for it. If only she hadn't been bitten, she could enjoy a normal life. That brought to mind some things a famous werewolf had told her during one of her stays at the werewolf underground.

'Don't think back to the bite. There's nothing you can do about it, so it's best to just forget it.' Had been one. Another, not directly concerning her bite, was also brought to mind. 'It's rare to find friends who will accept you for who you are, and not just dismiss you as a werewolf. If you ever find friends like this, hold onto them, because they don't come along often.'

She hadn't done a good job at holding on to these friends. A flash of anger welled up in her at Seth, but quickly dissipated. It wasn't his fault, after all, but this reborn witch. Hope had told her that the witches' rebirth had instigated the vampire's coming. Marit vowed to do anything she could to defeat this witch.

'That's good,' Hope told her, 'Madison could use the help.' Marit was a bit startled. This was the first time Hope had talked with her in a while. 'I can sense strong surges of emotion concerning me,' Hope told her. Marit asked, 'Can you read my mind?' Hope seemed to chuckle. 'Only surface thoughts,' Hope told her.

'Could you explain the bit about Madison needing help?' Marit asked. 'Certainly,' Hope replied. 'He has decided to become as powerful a wizard as he can, and that he will destroy as much of this cult as he can.' Marit raised an eyebrow at this. 'Why not the whole thing?'

Hope chuckled at this as well. 'Besides having a large dose of realism, he has a Seer for a sister.' Marit paused, as if expecting Hope to continue, but finally got impatient. 'Please continue.' Hope sounded a bit startled. 'Of course.'

'Just recently a prophecy was made, now stored in the ministry, by Madison's sister, actually, saying that Madison would not kill the leader of this group, but would die by the leaders' hand in exactly twenty years.' Marit's mouth dropped open. This sent a whirling of thoughts through her head.

The first thing that came was a tad bit humorous, though Marit felt a bit ashamed of finding it so. The thought that Angelique would be a bit upset was quite a large understatement. She would be devastated, and other than that Marit would not want to guess at what the distressed witch would do. Marit hoped she would be loyal to Madison. It sounded like the young wizard would be needing some emotional support over the last twenty years of his life. If he still had emotions.

'AHHHH!' Hope yelled in her mind, obviously in some kind of pain. 'Hope? Are you okay?' Marit asked, a bit worried that Hope was pulling a joke on her. Hope was, after all, Seth's spirit, and not at all above such things. 'I'm getting tugged somewhere…' Hope gave another grunt of pain. 'I can't resist anymore… If I don't come back, tell Chanteau that I love her…' Marit nodded, a tear falling down her check.

Hope said nothing for the remainder of the trip, and Marit assumed that he was gone for good. It took most of the trip to compose herself, what with Hope getting torn away and finding out that Madison would only live to be thirty-three. This brought her to thoughts of her own survival.

Would she survive the upcoming war? Would she be able to pull through when Madison, a far more powerful and determined mage than her, could not? The voice of the wolf in the back of her mind said, 'Werewolves always pull through.' Marit smiled at this, but the smile faded when the implications of this came to her.

True, she might survive to see the end of the war, but did she want to? What if no one else she knew survived the war? Would she want to keep living? She didn't know the answers to all these questions, and resolved to ask these questions to herself daily. Maybe she would find the answers.

When she stepped out of the airport, she saw something she didn't expect. A wizard, she knew, disguised in muggle clothing, was hustling a small child into a run-down looking car. Marit barked out a short message in the sub-sonic language of the werewolves. The boy didn't reply, but by the way his ears perked up and momentarily stopped struggling, Marit knew he was a werewolf.

She pulled out her cell phone, and pressed the quickdial button for the lone phone in the Underground. Luckily her call was answered by the supervisor of the Underground rescue forces, Caleb Simmers. "Hello?" He asked dazedly.

"This is Marit, I'm at the airport. Somebody's got a kid werewolf, and they're trying to take him in." Caleb's voice lost its sleepy tone. "Ok, we're coming. Just stall him as long as you can. Get away with the kid if you can." "Yes sir," Marit said, hearing Caleb sigh at her calling him sir. He didn't like it.

As the car sped away, Marit broke into an all out run. This was one thing she was good at. She (and others who had seen her run) would bet that she was the fastest runner her age in America, and maybe a wider spread area than that. She was able to keep up with the car in the parking lot, and quickly pulled the caltrop she kept in her satchel for this exact reason, and threw it, aiming in front of the front tire.

She thanked god she had aimed right, and quickly dove into some bushes so that the emerging wizard would not see her. She smiled to herself. All she had to do now was wait for the Underground rescue force to get there… And then it dawned on her.

In this man's prejudice against the werewolf kind, he would probably kill the child, then apparate out of there. Marit discovered she was right when she jumped out from behind the bushes. The wizard was taking out a muggle rifle from the trunk of his car, presumably loaded with silver bullets. Marit ran that way, as fast and as silently as she could, and tackled the man just as he had pointed the barrel of the gun into the car window.

Now, this man was easily twice her weight, and probably trained in hand-to-hand combat. Marit, however, was an enraged werewolf, one of the most feared things of the wizarding world, even when not in wolf form. What really brought home her win was that she had the advantage of surprise. Not long before they hit the ground, she had him unconscious.

She opened the door of the car, and groaned when she saw that the boy had already been shot once, and, like the wizard lying on the ground just to the side of the car, was unconscious. Marit pulled the boy out of the car, and hoisted him over her shoulder, and ran off towards the clump of trees just outside the airport parking lot.

When she got there, she set the kid down, and tore a strip of cloth from a shirt she had in her satchel. She quickly wrapped it around the boy's bleeding arm. It was the best she could do.

After a few long moments, she heard someone calling to her in the subsonic language of the werewolves. One of the bad things about the language was that one could never tell what direction it was coming from. So she howled. In a few short moments, the rescue force, two people, one of them Caleb, arrived.

"Good job," he complemented. Marit smiled and turned her head to the side, not making eye contact. "It's no more than you did for me," she muttered. The other member of the rescue team had bent down to make sure the young werewolf boy would be able to make it to the Werewolf Underground.

Marit remembered that day well, when she had been rescued by Caleb. What he had been doing so far south Marit didn't know. That night had been the night of a transformation, and she had been hunted all through the night. She had gained some ground, and had made her transformation back to human. She had been seconds away from being captured, having been shot twice already, when Caleb found her and used a portkey to take them back to the underground.

"How are we getting back?" She asked. Caleb looked down at the young boy and sighed. "I don't want to risk a portkey being caught, but I'll risk it if he can't make it in the truck.

The ride, other than the fact that there was a dying boy in the car with her, was pleasant. It had been a while since she had come up here, and the Canadian wilderness was interesting, if a bit cold.

When they drove through the hastily opened gates of the place, Marit wasn't looking at the town, but was concentrating on the boy. She helped carry him into the doctor's office (the werewolves were extremely glad they had one) and stayed there until the doctor said, "He'll be all right. It's your first saved werewolf." Marit blushed and went outside, thankful that she had been able to save the life of one of her kin.

She looked around at the gravel roads of the town, of the dirty and small buildings. Most of it looked like it hadn't been cleaned since it had been made. Everyone looked as if they had traveled for several months, and hadn't had a wash in twice that long. It looked like home.


	16. Casualties

Chapter Sixteen: Casualties

_Chanteau hummed as she washed up, getting ready for the new day. Thankfully her parents were not forcing her to go to France this year. Her adopted family was certainly nice, but she didn't like being over there where she could only understand a fifth of what was being said._

_There came a loud crashing sound from downstairs, but Chanteau put it off as her dad dropping a pot. He was so clumsy, she told herself absently. In truth, her thoughts were on Madison, and what he was doing over the summer. Probably not enjoying himself, she thought darkly._

_In her time away from Madison so far, she had come to one conclusion. He needed to enjoy himself instead of spending all his time in books and learning spells far too powerful for his age. She knew how he felt about the upcoming war, and agreed with him to an extent, but she would not sit by and let him waste the twenty remaining years of his life. She had already planned a speech for when she saw him back at Salem. _

_She walked down a few flights of stairs in the mansion her family lived in, then stopped with horror. This couldn't be happening! _

_Her adopted father was sprawled across the floor, a large hole in the front of his chest, blood everywhere. She could hear her who she assumed to be her mother still battling whoever it was who was attacking them, then heard a roar of pain as her mother fell. Chanteau shook her head in disbelief, as if all this was a bad dream, but nonetheless ran up the stairs to retrieve her wand. She, for the second time that morning, saw something she didn't expect._

Hope was violently yanked out of his conversation with Marit, and it was very painful, he decided. The airplane setting faded away, and for a moment he was neither with Marit nor wherever he was being pulled to. Then, with another violently painful jerk, one he didn't bother resisting, he was pulled to wherever he was going.

Hope looked around at the new setting. Rolling hills of the softest grass were around as far as his eyes could see. The sky was a perfect blue color. Though Hope would have always denied liking a place like this, the only thing he could see fitting to say was, "Paradise…" He didn't know just how accurate that statement was.

Simply put, there was nothing Hope would have liked to do more than stay here. However, something seemed to draw him in a particular direction. He shrugged, then, when he didn't feel anything, looked down at his non-existent body, and chuckled. He was a bit relieved to know that he could still speak.

He started heading in the direction that seemed to be pulling him. Hope was not disappointed in this decision. After a while the plains ended into a great sea, that, to his immense joy, he found he could move over. The water was the most beautiful he had ever seen. It was almost completely clear, yet he could not see the bottom. _This place is endless._

After a while the ocean ended and he came to a forest of the largest trees he had ever seen, with the greenest leaves. After a while of walking through the forest, he felt he was coming close to his destination. And then he saw where it was.

The pleasant forest ended abruptly, and turned into a forest of twisted blackened trees that seemed to exude evil. Hope was reluctant to approach any further, until something made it unbearable not too. Then he saw the floating orb of white light that was hovering in between the two worlds.

"Are we in the afterlife?" Hope asked, finally figuring it out. "Yes, we are,"

_Chanteau saw herself sleeping in the bed, or an exact copy, she wasn't sure. It certainly looked like her. Her hand went up to touch her cheek, just to make sure she was there, and that this wasn't a dream. She wasn't there._

_Then, she realized what was happening. This was a warning; if she could wake herself up she could stop the attack on her parents. Strangely, with her realization, everything turned to black and white, but, so concentrated was she on getting back to her body, she didn't notice._

_Something seemed to be holding her back from waking herself up, some invisible force. She strained against it, using all her body mind, and soul to push herself closer to her body, but it was excruciatingly slow, and by the time she got there her parents would be dead…. With this thought she redoubled her efforts._

"So, we're here to discuss which side I go on?" Hope was slightly annoyed at the globe that it didn't move to indicate anything, but just replied. "No, that has already been decided." Hope tried to ask the next question silently, but did not succeed in the slightest. "So, which side will it be?"

"You will be informed after we take care of your current dilemma. You used a powerful magic charm to stay in the world. Tell me of the nature of this." The globe ordered. Hope sighed, and did so. "We magically swore not to leave the earth without each other."

The orb didn't reply for a moment. "Well, do you want to stay here, or go back?" Hope was a little taken aback by the question. He started to look around at the nice half of the world, but suddenly his vision was cut off, and he couldn't pull up any memories of the place, besides the fact that he had traveled and his conversation.

_Must be so that I won't base my decision on what I've seen here," _Hope mused. There was no question about his decision, however. What he could remember was that the place he had been in was so wonderful, and how bad the world was. "Of course I want to go back."

His vision flew back, and the orb sounded pleased with his choice. "Now, go," it told him, someone has need of your aid."

_Chanteau kept forcing herself to move forward, but it was growing much more difficult with all the despairing thoughts she couldn't help but thinking. Then something faded into her vision, and her concentration was completely broken._

_It was Seth, standing next to her bed. She then jumped forwards to pull him into a hug, and the barrier was gone. Seth was smirking, and hugged her back, before pushing her away, if reluctantly. "I'll be around for a while," he told her, wiping a tear from her cheek. "It's you who you need to be paying attention to," he said, pointing down into the bed With this, he faded into the sleeping Chanteau's body._

Her hand went straight to the wand lying on her bedside table. She stood up and started racing downstairs, when she heard a familiar crash. Oh no, she thought, I didn't wake up in time.

Chanteau came down and saw a scene different than what she had the first time. She couldn't move as she watched it happen. Her father staggered back, then fell to the carpet, how he had been when she had come down here the first time. This time though, she had her wand, and was quite ready to kill whoever it was who had killed her father.

She came down to the floor her father was lying on, and passed over him without another glance, her anger overriding her grief. When she looked into the kitchen, she was momentarily stunned.

Blood was everywhere, and so were the bodies. Her mother, and several other people whom she didn't recognize. Some had been visibly killed, but others showed no sign of death, a sure sign of the most powerful unforgivable curse. However, her attention was drawn to the three remaining combatants.

She instantly recognized one of them. That ponytail was impossible to mistake. He was trading spells with one of the other two, and the other, a dark robed man, was taking aim at Madison with his wand. Chanteau yelled out, "EXPELLIARMUS," pointing her wand at the one Madison was unaware of.

The man's wand flew out of his hand, though no blast of anger energy blasted him backwards as Chanteau had hoped. It didn't matter though, when Madison finished off his current opponent, and whirled around. It was at this point Chanteau realized that Madison was wandless as well as his opponent.

Madison pointed his hand, palm first, at the man, and yelled out, "REDUCTO!" The beam of energy came out his hand and struck the man in the neck, instantly dropping him. Madison fell to the ground of lack of energy, and, still in shock, Chanteau rushed over to support him.

When she got to him he found the energy to stand, and return her hug. "It'll be okay, don't worry," Chanteau started crying into his shoulder. His hands rubbed circles around her back. Though Madison's words were comforting, she couldn't help but notice something different about the way he was speaking.

It wasn't lack of emotion, though the tone didn't hold much of that. Then she realized what it was. Madison was in shock too.

She raised her head and brought it down back to Madison's shoulder. She recognized Madison's parents lying bloodily on the ground.


	17. Author's Note

Author's Note

--- First of all, you might have noticed that I deleted Chapters Seventeen, Eighteen, Nineteen, and the work-in-progress Chapter Twenty. This is due to the amount of people who thought it was bad. If no one likes these new Chapters, I will just delete the story.

The main thing I will be taking out is the romance, as I don't think I can do that well enough. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know of them.


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